Federal
`Cc Communications
`Commission
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`Home/ Wireless/Bureau Divisions/Mobility Division
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`SSI3c
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`Commercial paging is a Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) andis
`thus, 1) provided for profit, 2) interconnected to the public switched
`network, and 3)available to the public. Traditional commercial paging
`service consists of one-way data communications sent to a mobile device
`that alerts the user whenit arrives. The communication could consist of a
`
`phone numberfor the userto call, a short message, or an information
`update. Other licensees in addition to paging carriers offer paging services.
`For instance, most digital mobile telephone handsets include a paging
`componentorCaller ID feature that allows users to view the phone number
`of someone whohascalled them. Narrowband PCS(/general/narrowband-
`personal-communications-service-pcs) licensees offer more advanced two-way
`paging type services.
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`Rule Part
`47 C.F.R,Parts 1, 22, and 90
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`Radio Service Code(s)
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`CD - Paging & Radiotelephone
`CP- Part 22 VHF/UHF Paging (excluding 931 MHz)
`CZ - Paging & Radiotelephone, Auctioned
`GC - 929-931 MHz Bands, Auctioned
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`Commercial paging may operate in the 35-36, 43-44, 152-159, and 454-460
`MHz bands(referred to as the "Lower Band") and the 929 and 931 MHz
`bands (referred to as the "Upper Band") (refer to the Band Plan in the Data
`section) and after 1997 was geographically licensed based on either Economic Area (EA) or Market Economic Area (MEA) Market Area
`designations. You can read moreaboutthehistory of licensing commercial paging below.
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`GS- Private Carrier Paging, 929-930 MHz
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`The rules governing commercial paging are found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Volume 47, Part 1 (/general/rules-regulations-
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`%26#10;
title-47) and Part 22 (/general/rules-regulations-title-47) (and Part 90 (/general/rules-regulations-title-47) for 929 MHz channels).
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`Background
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`Commercial paging operates in the 35-36, 43-44, 152-159, and 454-460 MHz bands (sometimesreferred to as the "Lower Band") and the 929
`and 931 MHz bands (sometimesreferred to as the "Upper Band") (refer to band plan). Two types of commercial paging licensees operate
`within these bands, commoncarrier paging (referred to as CCP or 931 MHz) and private carrier paging (referred to as PCP or 929 MHz).
`
`The Commission first allocated spectrum for CCP services in 1949. CCP operatesin all but the 929 MHz band. Historically, a CCP channel was
`assignedto a single licensee in each area on an exclusive basis. Licensees' protected service areas were based on predicted coverage of the
`transmitters in their systems, and licensees were required to apply for additional transmitter locations when expanding their systems.Onall
`CCPallocations other than 931 MHz, applicants had to specify the channels they wanted. In the 931 MHz band, applications were not
`channelspecific and the Commission had the discretion to assign a channel different from that requested. In major markets, the number of
`applications often exceeded the numberof available channels, resulting in all applications being treated as mutually exclusive. There was a
`60-day periodforfiling 931 MHz mutual exclusive applications and 30 daysfor all other CCP applications. Lotteries were used to choose
`which applications would be granted. In 1982, the Commission allocated 40 new channels in the 931 MHz band exclusively for use by CCP
`operators and dedicated three of these channels for use by nationwide systems.
`
`PCP was established by the Commission as a service distinct from CCP and prior to 1993 was subjectto different regulatory treatment. PCP
`operatesin the 152- 159, 454-460 and 929 MHz bands.Initially, PCP was authorized on specified channels within each private radio service
`category, with licensees authorized either to operate systemsfor their own internal use or to provide serviceto limited categoriesofeligible
`users. In 1982, the Commission allocated 40 channels in the 929 MHz bandfor PCP, with some channels to be licensed for internal-use
`systems (30 channels) and others for PCP systems that could provide commercial paging serviceto eligible users (10 channels) under 47 CFR
`Part 90. As demandgrew,the Commission responded by allowing PCP operators access to the pool of 929 MHz channels set aside to meet
`the internal communications needs of Business Radio Service eligibles, and expanding the classesofuserseligible to obtain service from
`PCPlicensees and paging licensees in the Business Radio Service. PCP channels were licensed on a shared basis. Since multiple licenses
`could be granted for the same channel, these applications were not subject to mutual exclusivity selection procedures.
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`Transition to Geographic Licensing
`
`In 1993, the Omnibus Reconciliation Act amended the Communications Actto divide all mobile services into two categories, Commercial
`Mobile Radio Services (CMRS) and Private Mobile Radio Services (PMRS), and mandated that "substantially similar" mobile services receive
`comparable regulatory treatment. The Commission determined that PCP and CCP weresubstantially similar and that geographic area
`licensing should be considered for both services. As a result, the Commission allowed PCP operators to provide service to the public on
`virtually the same unrestricted basis as CCP operators.In a separate proceeding ("PCP Exclusivity Order") the Commission also established a
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`mechanism for exclusive licensing on 35 of the 40 929 MHz PCP channels in order to encourage the developmentof wide- area paging
`systems. The 5 remaining channels, while allocated on a shared basis, along with lower band shared paging channels maybelicensed to
`offer either commercial paging services or private, internal-use paging services. Only approximately 10 percentofthe total allocated paging
`spectrum continuesto be licensed on a shared basis.
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`Prior to 1997, both CCP and PCP paging operators chosethe areas they soughtto serve by applyingfor licenses on a site-by-site basis. Thus,
`the boundary ofthe licensee's service area was derived from the composite service areas of existing base stations. In 1996, the Commission
`began to consider geographiclicensing of paging channels. While the Commission considered this change, it established interim licensing
`rules in order to preventa flood of speculative applications and an increase in opportunities for fraudulent investment schemes. The interim
`licensing rules suspended acceptanceof new applications for paging channels (except for nationwide exclusive channels and for private,
`internal-use systems) pending resolution of fraud-related issues, but allowed incumbentlicensees to add sites within 40 miles of operating
`sites. In a subsequent modification of the interim rules, incumbents operating on shared channels were not subject to the 40 mile limitation.
`
`In 1997, the Commission adopted geographic licensing for exclusive channels which would give greater flexibility to licensees and greater
`ease of administration for the FCC. The Commission also adopted competitive bidding rules to resolve mutually exclusive applications. The
`remaining shared channels were not converted to exclusive channels nor to geographic area licensing. Nationwide 929 MHz and 931 MHz
`geographic area licenses were granted without competitive bidding. The Commission determinedthatall mutually exclusive applications for
`non-nationwide 931 MHz channels and exclusive non-nationwide 929 MHz channels would be subject to competitive bidding for geographic
`area licenses for 51 Major Economic Areas (MEAs). All remaining CCP channels (i.e. 35-36 MHz, 43-44 MHz, 152-159 MHz, and 454-460 MHz)
`would be subject to competitive bidding for geographic area licenses in 172 Economic Areas(EAs) for each channel. As a result, all pending
`mutually exclusive applications for paging licenses (other than applications on nationwide and shared channels) filed with the Commission
`on or beforeJuly 31, 1996 were dismissed. All non-mutually exclusive applications filed with the Commission on or before July 31, 1996 were
`processed.
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`Incumbentsite-by-site licensees were permitted to either continue operating under existing authorizations or trade in their site-specific
`licenses for a single system-wide license demarcated by the aggregate of the interference contours around each of the incumbents’
`contiguous sites operating on the same channel. Incumbentlicensees are permitted to adda"fill-in" site or relocate existing facilities
`provided there is no expansion of the existing composite interference contour.
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`A fill-in application seeks to add a transmitter to a station, in the same area and transmitting on the same channel or channel block as
`previously authorized transmitters but does not expand the existing composite interference contour. Generally,a fill-in is established to
`improve reception in dead spots. All fill- ins must be filed on FCC Form 601. Those aboveLine A mustbefiled on Form 601 and receive
`coordination clearance from Industry Canadaprior to operation (refer to the International Agreementin the Operations section).
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`In 2001, the Commission lifted the interim licensing rules for shared paging channels after adding language to FCC Form 601 warning
`applicants thatfailure of a licensee to meet construction or coverage requirements would result in termination of the license. The
`Commission determined that adding such language would be generally helpful to applicantsin all services and might also help deter fraud.
`The lifting of the freeze enables non-incumbent applicants to again file for commercial operation on the lower band shared paging channels
`and the five 929 MHz shared paging channels.
`
`>
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`Bureau/Office:
`
`Wireless Telecommunications (https://www.fcc.gov/wireless-telecommunications)
`Tags:
`Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS)(/tags/commercial-mobile-radio-service-cmrs)- Wireless Services (/tags/wireless-services)
`
`Updated:
`Monday, March 20, 2017
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