On October 16, 2003, the Commission adopted a Report and Order (modified by Memorandum Opinion and Order on reconsideration) establishing service rules to promote non-Federal Government development and use of the “millimeter wave” spectrum in the 71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz and 92-95 GHz bands on a shared basis with Federal Government operations. These bands are essentially undeveloped and available for use in a broad range of new products and services, including high-speed, point-to-point wireless local area networks and broadband Internet access. Highly directional, “pencil-beam” signal characteristics permit systems in these bands to be engineered in close proximity to one another without causing interference.

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Licensing Process

The Commission will issue an unlimited number of non-exclusive nationwide licenses to non-Federal Government entities for the 12.9 gigahertz of spectrum allocated for commercial use. These licenses will serve as a prerequisite for registering individual point-to-point links. The 71-95 GHz bands are allocated on a shared basis with Federal Government users. Therefore, a licensee will not be authorized to operate a link under its non-exclusive nationwide license until the link is both:

1. coordinated with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) with respect to Federal Government operations, and



2. registered as an approved link with the FCC (interim process) or third-party Database Manager (permanent process).

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