Report No. ET 97-7 OET ACTION September 4, 1997 COMMISSION TERMINATES PIONEER'S PREFERENCE PROGRAM; DISMISSES ALL PENDING PIONEER'S PREFERENCE REQUESTS (DOCKET NOS. CC 92-297, ET 94-124, GEN 90-314, GEN 90-357, IB 97-95, ET 93-266) In response to recent Congressional legislation, the Commission has terminated its pioneer's preference program, and dismissed all 13 pending requests for pioneer's preference. On August 5, 1997, the President signed into law the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. The Budget Act amended the Communications Act to terminate the authority of the Commission to provide preferential treatment in its licensing procedures for pioneers as of the date of enactment of the Budget Act. Thus, as of August 5, 1997, the Commission's authority to grant any applicant a pioneer's preference expired. The 13 pioneer's preference requests dismissed were filed by AfriSpace, Inc. on July 30, 1991 for an international satellite sound broadcasting service; CruiseCom International, Inc. on April 10, 1992 for a digital shipboard earth station service (RM-7912); Inner Ear Communications, Inc. on May 21, 1993 for a low-power broadcast service in the 72-76 MHz band; Maritime Telecommunications Network, Inc. on June 2, 1995 for a digital shipboard earth station service (PP-34 in RM-7912); Motorola Satellite Systems, Inc. on September 4, 1996 for a non- geostationary Fixed Satellite Service in the 36-51 GHz band (RM-8811 and IB Docket No. 97-95); ProNet, Inc. on July 30, 1991 for an electronic tracking service in the 216-220 MHz band (PP-23 in RM-7784); Qualcomm Incorporated on May 4, 1992 in the broadband Personal Communications Services proceeding (PP-68 in GEN Docket No. 90-314); RadioTour/USA on June 17, 1997 for a low-power FM information broadcasting service; Sky Station International on March 20, 1996 for a global stratospheric telecommunications service in the 47.2-47.5 GHz and 47.9-48.2 GHz bands (RM-8784 and ET Docket No. 94-124); Strother Communications, Inc. on July 30, 1991 in the Digital Audio Radio Service proceeding (PP-25 in GEN Docket No. 90-357); Suite 12 -more- -2- Group (now CellularVision U.S.A.) on September 23, 1991 in the 28 GHz Local Multipoint Distribution Service proceeding (PP-22 in RM-7872 and CC Docket No. 92-297); Teledesic Corporation on March 14, 1994 for a low-Earth orbit satellite service; and Web SportsNet, Inc. and Gregory D. Deieso on July 15, 1996 for an Event Broadcast Stations radio service. Initiated in 1991, the pioneer's preference program provided preferential treatment in the licensing processes for parties that made significant contributions to the development of a new spectrum-using service, or to the development of a new technology that substantially enhanced an existing spectrum-using service. Since its inception, approximately 140 parties applied for pioneer's preferences in various services and five applications for preference were granted. Action by the Commission August 29, 1997, by Order (FCC 97-309). Chairman Hundt, Commissioners Quello, Ness, and Chong. -FCC- News Media contact: Patricia A. Chew (202) at 418-0500. Office of Engineering and Technology contact: Rodney Small at (202) 418-2452.