Federal Communications Commission DA 19-544 DA 19-544 OMB Control No. 3060-1161 Released: June 12, 2019 WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU ANNOUNCES START DATE FOR PHASE 1 OF RELICENSING 700 MHZ SPECTRUM IN FOUR UNSERVED AREAS WT Docket No. 06-150 1. This public notice announces that the 30-day Phase 1 700 MHz relicensing window will begin on August 12, 2019 and end on September 11, 2019 for the four markets (listed below) where licensees have failed to meet their construction requirements. On February 12, 2019, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau released a public notice announcing the process for relicensing 700 MHz spectrum in unserved areas. See generally Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Announces Process for Relicensing 700 MHz Spectrum in Unserved Areas, DA 19-77, Public Notice (WTB, rel. Feb. 12, 2019) (Procedures PN). A summary of the Procedures PN was published in the Federal Register, 84 FR 8443, on March 8, 2019, with an effective date of April 8, 2019. In the Procedures PN, we noted that relicensing of unserved areas will occur through a two-phase application process, beginning with a 30-day Phase 1 filing window. 47 CFR § 27.14(j)(1); see Procedures PN, 84 FR 8443, 8447-53, paras. 24-52. Today, we also provide information about the specific unserved areas available for relicensing and instructions regarding how to access that information in the form of maps displaying the available areas that potential licensees can view, download, and use to determine areas for which they may want to file an application. 2. The unserved market areas available for relicensing at this time include part of the Gulf of Mexico, portions of North Dakota 4 – McKenzie and North Dakota 3 – Barnes, and the entire Texas 1 – Dallam market. To access the unserved areas available for relicensing, potential applicants can visit https://arcg.is/CejT8 in order to view the map displaying the available areas. 3. We strongly encourage potential applicants to conduct due diligence to determine the unserved areas where they actually will be able to provide service because licenses acquired through this process will have one year to complete construction, provide signal coverage and offer service over 100% of the relicensed area. 47 CFR § 27.14(j)(3); Procedures PN, 84 FR 8443, 8455, para. 59. If the licensee fails to meet this requirement, then its license will terminate automatically, and it will be ineligible to apply to provide service to that area at any future date. Id. This due diligence could include evaluating sites and technical requirements, e.g., site acquisition or lease, existing infrastructure, neighboring operations, and network and backhaul needs. Applicants should only apply for portions of available unserved areas that accurately reflect their predicted service area based on precise engineering and projected signal propagation specific to the area. As stated in the Procedures PN, we will afford potential applicants 60 days between the release of today’s public notice and the start of the Phase 1 filing window on August 12, 2019 to conduct this due diligence. Procedures PN, 84 FR 8443, 8447, para. 23. 4. Interested applicants can download the publicly available map displaying the available unserved areas at https://arcg.is/CejT8 and follow the instructions to create the shapefile(s) to be included in its application. Shapefiles must be zipped. Subject to the restrictions of Phase 1 and other relicensing rules described in the Procedures PN, applicants may apply for any sized area or number of available areas they choose. See generally Procedures PN. 5. For Phase 1, applicants can file by logging into ULS through the License Manager, selecting “700 MHz Relicensing” in the left frame, and choosing application purpose code “New (NE).” 6. Further Information. Questions regarding this public notice may be directed to Melissa Conway, Attorney Advisor, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Mobility Division, at (202) 418-2887, Melissa.conway@fcc.gov, or Jeremy Reynolds, Program Analyst, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Mobility Division, at (202) 418-0447, Jeremy.Reynolds@fcc.gov. 7. Action taken under delegated authority pursuant to Sections 0.131 and 0.331 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 0.131, 0.331, and Service Rules for 698-746, 747-762, and 777-792 MHz Bands et al., Second Report and Order, 22 FCC Rcd 15289 (2007). By the Chief, Mobility Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. 2