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                           Before the
               FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
                     Washington D.C. 20554
                                

In the Matter of                   )
                              )
1998 Biennial Regulatory Review --      )         IB Docket No. 98-96
Review of Accounts Settlement in        )
the Maritime Mobile and Maritime        )
Mobile-Satellite Radio Services and     )
Withdrawal of the Commission as an      )     
Accounting Authority in the Maritime    )                
Mobile and Maritime Mobile-Satellite    )
Radio Services                     )

                              ORDER

By the Chief, International Bureau:

     Adopted:  August 17, 1999               Released:  August 18, 1999

          1.   On July 13, 1999, the Commission released a Report and Order and 
Further Notice of Rulemaking in the above-captioned proceeding.  In the Report and Order, the
Commission announced its intention to withdraw as an accounting authority in the maritime
mobile and maritime mobile-satellite radio services.  The Commission, however, postponed the
effectiveness of its decision for three years to permit the preparation and implementation of a plan
to ensure that the transition to relying solely upon private accounting authorities is smooth and
non-disruptive.  In the Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Commission asked for
comment on such a plan.  The Commission required that comments be filed on August 23, 1999,
and reply comments on September 8, 1999.

          2.   On August 16, 1999, the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA) filed a motion seeking an extension of the time to file comments for 60
days, until October 25, 1999, and an extension of the date for filing reply comments for 30 days
beyond the date for filing comments, until November 29, 1999.  In support of its motion, NTIA
noted that the Commission had specifically requested comments from NTIA and from the United
States Coast Guard on the proposed transition plan to ensure that their concerns can be
addressed.  NTIA further noted that the Commission requested government agencies to provide
information on the cost of decentralizing the settlement of government agency maritime radio
accounts.  In this connection, NTIA noted that the cost issue is being addressed in the
Interdepartmental Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC).  Finally, NTIA noted that the Commission
had agreed in its order that a seamless transition to private accounting authorities will be
important in ensuring that Commission withdrawal as an accounting authority does not have a
deleterious effect on maritime safety communications.  NTIA asserts that the public interest will
be served by granting an extension of time to ensure that the Commission has the most developed
record on which to base its action.

          3.   We agree with NTIA that the public interest will be served by having a full
record in this proceeding.  We note that the Commission has postponed the effectiveness of its
decision to withdraw as an accounting authority for three years.  As a result, the requested
extension will not adversely affect any party to the proceeding or the public interest.  We
therefore conclude that NTIA has shown good cause for a grant of the requested extension. 
Thus, we grant NTIA's request.

          4.   Accordingly, pursuant to Section 0.261 of the Commission's rules, 47
C.F.R.  0.261 (1998), IT IS ORDERED that the date for filing comments in this proceeding IS
EXTENDED until October 25, 1999, and the date for filing reply comments IS EXTENDED
until November 29, 1999.

                              INTERNATIONAL BUREAU



                              Donald Abelson,
                              Bureau Chief