Report No.  GN 98-7                    GENERAL ACTION                              May 14, 1998

                FCC ADOPTS INTERIM PROCEDURE FOR
          GLOBAL MOBILE SATELLITE EQUIPMENT APPROVAL--
                  ACTION SPEEDS DEPLOYMENT OF 
        NEW VOICE AND DATA SERVICES FOR CONSUMERS       
                       (GEN Docket 98-68)
                                
     Today the Commission took an important step toward implementing the international
arrangements governing Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS)
systems adopted in Geneva this past March.  The Commission voted unanimously in favor of
an interim procedure for the type approval of GMPCS terminals which will facilitate their
transport across national borders.  In addition, the Commission adopted a set of proposed
modifications to the FCC's equipment approval process and a proposal to implement the
Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) that was completed between the United States and the
European Community (EC) last year. 

     "These exciting new global satellite systems hold great promise for international
consumers, especially those living in or traveling to underpopulated and rural areas.  I believe
that the interim equipment certification proposal the Commission adopted today will pave the
way for these GMPCS companies as they continue or begin to roll-out their global voice, data,
and broadband services," remarked FCC Chairman William E. Kennard.  

     "We have worked hard with our international colleagues to craft a set of licensing,
marking, customs, traffic data and type approval procedures to facilitate the transborder
roaming of terminals so that GMPCS service delivery is seamless for all global and domestic
GMPCS users. Today's action is an important interim measure prior to the Commission's
implementation of the final GMPCS Arrangements in the near future," Kennard stated. 

     In 1996, the International Telecommunications Union convened a World
Telecommunications Policy Forum to focus on regulatory and technical issues related to
GMPCS technology. Since that time, the United States, as a signatory to the international
GMPCS Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) adopted in February 1997, participated
actively in developing a set of GMPCS  MoU Arrangements in order to enable GMPCS
terminals to be readily transported across national borders without duties.  



                              (over)


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     The Commission's interim procedure is designed to assist companies that wish to obtain
equipment certification prior to the Commission's final implementation of the MoU later this
year.  The FCC has proposed a set of certification criteria in accordance with Parts 1, 2, and
25 of the Commission's current rules and in conjunction with a set of specific out-of-band
emission proposals that are being evaluated under a separate Commission proceeding.     

     Action by the Commission May 14, 1998, by Notice of Proposed Rulemaking  (FCC
98-92).   Chairman Kennard, Commissioners Ness, Furchtgott-Roth, Powell and Tristani, with
Commissioner Furchtgott-Roth issuing a separate statement.

                             - FCC -              

     News Media contact: Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0500.
     International Bureau contacts: Thomas Tycz at (202) 418-0735 and Tracey Weisler at
(202) 418-0744.


(This press release is released in conjunction with Report GN 98-6, also released today, which
describes, in broader terms, the NPRM adopted today.)