Subject: [NEXTEL-1] WTB SEEKS COMMENTS ON-MARITEL, INC. REQUEST TO EXTEND CONSTRUCTION DEADLINE

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 07 May 2003 18:47:14 -0400

DA 03-1484

Released: May 5, 2003

WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON
MARITEL, INC. REQUEST TO EXTEND CONSTRUCTION DEADLINE FOR CERTAIN
VHF PUBLIC COAST STATION GEOGRAPHIC AREA LICENSES

Comment Date:  June 4, 2003      Reply Date:  June 19, 2003

On March 27, 2003, MariTEL, Inc. (MariTEL), requested  a waiver and two-year extension of
the five-year construction requirement for nine VHF public coast (VPC) geographic
areas.    MariTEL states that the two-year extension will provide it with additional time
to construct an automatic identification system (AIS) technology-based network that offers
data services, including automatic vessel location (AVL), short messaging and e-mail.

Geographic VPC licensees must demonstrate that they are providing substantial service
within five years of the initial license grant, and again within ten years of the initial
license grant.   For the VPC areas at issue, the Commission has stated that the five-year
substantial service requirement can be satisfied by coverage to one-third of the major
waterway(s) in the service area.   The licenses at issue were granted on May 19, 1999, so
MariTEL’s five-year construction date is May 19, 2004.  MariTEL states that it originally
planned to meet the deadline by constructing a VPC ship-to-shore voice communications
network that relied on digital selective calling technology.  MariTEL now believes that
the advent and proliferation of other wireless technologies, such as cellular and personal
communications services, has drastically reduced the market for VPC voice communications.
MariTEL believes that its proposed data system would be of greater benefit to the maritime
industry.  Therefore, MariTEL plans to cease providing such services, and direct its
resources into developing a new AIS-based data network.

MariTEL argues that maintaining the May 19, 2004 construction deadline would be contrary
to the public interest because MariTEL could meet it only through the continued
construction of its original voice network.  MariTEL states that it needs an extension of
the current five-year construction date in order to construct the proposed data network,
because time is needed to develop and test the necessary equipment.  Therefore, MariTEL
requests a new deadline of May 19, 2006.

Interested parties may file comments on the subject request on or before June 4, 2003.
Parties interested in submitting reply comments must do so on or before June 19, 2003.
All comments should reference the subject request, including the DA number of the Public
Notice, and should be filed with the Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications
Commission, 445 Twelfth Street, S.W., Room TW-A325, Washington, D.C. 20554.   A copy of
each filing should be sent to 1) Qualex International, Inc., Portals II, 445 12th Street,
S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554; (2) Maria Ringold, Federal Communications
Commission, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Reference Information Center, 445
12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B529, Washington, D.C. 20554; and 3) Keith Fickner, Public
Safety and Private Wireless Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, 445 12th Street,
S.W., Room 4-C423, Washington, D.C. 20554, (202) 418-7308 or via e-mail to
[email-masked].

MariTEL’s applications and waiver requests can be accessed electronically via the
Commission’s Universal Licensing System, http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls.  In addition, the
full text of the request, comments and reply comments will be available for inspection and
duplication during regular business hours in the Reference Information Center (RIC) of the
Consumer Information Bureau (CIB), Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street,
S.W., Room CY-A257, Washington, D.C. 20554.  Copies may also be obtained from the
Commission’s duplicating contractor, Qualex International, Inc., Portals II, 445 12th
Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, (202) 863-2893, facsimile (202)
863-2898, or via e-mail [email-masked].  For further information regarding the public
reference file for this request, contact Maria Ringold, Chief, Wireless Branch, RIC, (202)
418-1355.

Because of the policy implications and potential impact of this proceeding on persons not
parties to this request, we believe it would be in the public interest to treat this
matter as a permit-but-disclose proceeding under the ex parte rules, see Sections
1.1200(a) and 1.1206 of the Commission’s Rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200(a), 1.1206, rather
than a restricted proceeding under Section 1.1208 of the Commission’s Rules, 47 C.F.R. §
1.1208.  Therefore, any ex parte presentations that are made with respect to the issues
involved in the subject request, subsequent to the release of this Public Notice, will be
allowed but must be disclosed in accordance with the requirements of Section 1.1206(b) of
the Commission’s Rules, 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b).

For further information, contact Mr. Keith Fickner of the Policy and Rules Branch, Public
Safety and Private Wireless Division of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau at (202)
418-7308, TTY (202) 418-7233, or via e-mail to [email-masked].

By the Chief, Public Safety and Private Wireless Division, Wireless Telecommunications
Bureau.

- FCC -
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-1484A1.doc

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