PUBLIC NOTICE
         FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION                      
         1919 M STREET N.W.
         WASHINGTON, D.C.  20554
         
         News media information 202/418-0500.    
                                  
                                 
                WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU
              COMMERCIAL RADIO SERVICES INFORMATION
   CLARIFICATION OF DISMISSAL OF MOBILETEL, INC'S PHASE 1 RSA
 APPLICATION FOR MARKET 462B AND TREATMENT OF MARKETS 461B AND
                462B AS PHASE 1 UNSERVED AREAS 
                                
Report No. CL-97-39                            February 28, 1997

In Public Notice Report No. CL-97-33 released February 14, 1997, the Commission identified the
tentative selectee in Rural Service Area (RSA) Louisiana 8-St. James (Market 461B) and Rural
Service Area (RSA) Louisiana 9-Plaquemines (Market 462B) as BellSouth Mobility, Inc. (Bell
South) and recognized the full market settlement between Bell South and Columbia Cellular, Inc.
that left Louisiana RSA No. 8 Limited Partnership as the remaining applicant in Market 461B. As
a result of the above, the Commission clarifies that the tentative selectee in Market 461B is
Louisiana RSA No. 8 Limited Partnership (Louisiana) and that the tentative selectee in Market
462B is Bell South.  

Pursuant to Mobiletel, Inc., Memorandum Opinion and Order, FCC 96-345, released August 14,
1996, the Commission instructed the staff (Wireless Telecommunications Bureau) to conduct the
licensing process expeditiously so that the period of MobileTel, Inc's (MobileTel's) interim
operating authority will be for as short a period of time as possible.  In compliance with this
instruction, Louisiana and Bell South's applications will be treated as Phase 1 applications and the
tentative selectees will have twelve (12) months to commence service from license grant.  In
addition, the Commission hereby accepts the contingent major amendments filed by Louisiana and
Bell South for Markets 461B and 462B, respectively, as modifications to their Phase I Unserved
Area applications now pending.  These major amendments are being filed to ensure continuity of
cellular service to the existing customer base in Markets 461B and 462B, since Louisiana and Bell
South are replacing MobileTele's existing cellular systems that no longer coincide with the initial
applications filed in Markets 461B and 462B.  Accordingly this treatment is consistent with our
practice when an initial cellular lincense is returned or terminated due to error in initial award.  
 

In Public Notice Report No. CL-97-34 released February 14, 1997, the Commission stated that
MobileTel's Phase 1 Unserved Area application for Market No. 462B in the Louisiana 9 -
Plaquemines did not comply with Section 22.949(a)(1)(iii) of the Commission's Rules, 47 C.F.R.
 22.949(a)(1)(iii) and was dismissed pursuant to Section 22.128(d)(2) of the Commission's Rules,
47 C.F.R.  22.128 (d)(2).  However, since the Commission is treating the applications of each
tentative selectee in Markets 461B and 462B as Phase I Unserved Area applications, the
Commission clarifies that MobileTel's Phase 1 Unserved Area application for Market 462B is
dismissed.    The previous basis for dismissal of MobileTel's Phase 1 Unserved Area application
is corrected and the dismissal is based upon implementation of the Commission's decision in 
Mobiletel, Inc. to ward licenses in Markets 461B and 462B.  

Since this Public Notice merely clarifies matters previously set forth in Public Notice Report  No.
CL-97-33 and Public Notice Report No. CL-97-34, (Public Notices) the time to file Petitions to
Deny remain unchanged and must be filed within thirty (30) days after the date of the previously
released Public Notices.

If you have any questions, you may call Chris White at (202) 418-0620 or Michael Kleeb at (202)
530-6140.




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