FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 31, 2003

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Suzanne Tetreault (202) 418-7450

Washington, D.C.¾Today, the Federal Communications Commission released a Notice of Apparent Liability proposing a $120,500 forfeiture against SpectraSite Communications, Inc., Cary, North Carolina, for safety-related violations of the Communications Act and the Commission's antenna structure rules, specifically, failure to register and light its antenna structures. This action follows an investigation conducted by the Commission's Norfolk, Virginia Field Office.

The amount of the proposed forfeiture represents the statutory maximum available. The Commission decided to propose a significantly higher forfeiture than generally used in such cases because SpectraSite has a prior history of antenna structure rules violations. SpectraSite has received three previous forfeitures in less than three years for at least 13 instances of failure to comply with the antenna structure rules.

The Commission also directed SpectraSite to submit a compliance report, and directed the Enforcement Bureau to conduct a broader investigation of SpectraSite's compliance with the antenna rules, if appropriate after review of SpectraSite's compliance report.

For more information about the Commission's antenna structure enforcement, including other cases, follow this link: www.fcc.gov/eb/broadcast/asml.html

Action by the Commission, October 27, 2003, Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (FCC 03-264). Chairman Powell, Commissioners Abernathy, Copps, Martin, and Adelstein.

- FCC -

Enforcement Bureau Contacts: Suzanne M. Tetreault and Lisa M. Fowlkes at (202) 418-7450.