Report No. DC 95-75        ACTION IN DOCKET CASE               May 26, 1995


      FCC AUTHORIZES PRIVATE LAND MOBILE SHARING OF CERTAIN MARITIME
         VHF FREQUENCIES; RECLASSIFIES INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC COAST
                 STATIONS AS NON-DOMINANT COMMON CARRIERS
                          (PR DOCKET NO. 92-257)

     The Commission has amended its rules to authorize private
land mobile sharing of certain maritime VHF frequencies, and to
reclassify international public coast stations as non-dominant
common carriers.  These changes will allow use of certain marine
VHF channels in land-locked areas, far from navigable waters, 
and streamline the regulatory procedures for public coast
stations.
     
     The amended rules will permit private land mobile eligibles
in the Industrial and Land Transportation (I/LT) radio services
to share marine VHF public correspondence channels 24-28 and 84-
87 on a primary basis within the 48 contiguous states far from
navigable waterways and existing VHF public coast stations.  The
amended rules set forth minimum separation guidelines, requiring
I/LT eligibles to be located at least 116 km (72 miles) to 187 km
(116 miles) from existing public coast stations and navigable
waters, depending on station power and antenna height. 
Additionally, the Commission will allow sharing of these channels
on a secondary, non-interference basis in areas near navigable
waterways, but far from VHF public coast stations.  The
Commission stated that I/LT applications for sharing this
spectrum must be coordinated by the frequency coordinator
certified by the FCC for their particular radio service.  

     Also by this action, the Commission determined that
reclassifying international public coast stations as non-dominant
common carriers will serve the public interest by promoting
competition.  Currently, public coast stations face competition
from many telecommunications mediums, including cellular
telephone and satellite communications.  Further, the Commission
noted that the advantages of increased competition coupled with
the threat of potential Commission action and the difficulty of
concealing anti-competitive practices, are sufficient to deter
unfair competitive practices in the public coast station market. 
Thus, international public coast stations will now be treated
under streamlined regulatory procedures.


                                  (over)

                                    -2-

     Action by the Commission April 26, 1995, by First Report and
Order(FCC 95-177).  Chairman Hundt, Commissioners Quello,
Barrett, Ness, and Chong.

                                   -FCC-

     News Media contact: Patricia A. Chew at (202) 418-0500.
     Wireless Telecommunications Bureau contact: Roger Noel at
(202) 418-0698.