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 NEWS  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974).  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  TTY:  1-  888-  835-  5322 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT:  November  7,  2002  Lauren  Kravetz  Patrich  at  (202)  418-  7944 
 FCC  SEEKS  COMMENT  ON  PROPOSED  LICENSING  AND  SERVICE  RULES  IN  THE  5.9  GHZ  BAND  FOR  DEDICATED  SHORT-  RANGE  COMMUNICATIONS  IN 
 THE  INTELLIGENT  TRANSPORTATION  SYSTEMS  RADIO  SERVICE 


 Washington,  D.  C.  –  The  Federal  Communications  Commission  today  issued  a  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  seeking  comment  on  proposed  licensing  and  service  rules  for  the  5.9  GHz 
 Band  (5.850-  5.925  GHz  band)  for  Dedicated  Short-  Range  Communications  (DSRC)  in  the  Intelligent  Transportation  Systems  Radio  Service. 


 Today’s  action  will  assist  the  Commission  in  furthering  the  goals  of  Congress,  the  Department  of  Transportation,  and  the  Intelligent  Transportation  Systems  (ITS)  community  to 
 improve  the  safety  and  efficiency  of  the  nation’s  surface  transportation  infrastructure.  DSRC  systems  are  being  designed  to  provide  a  short-  range,  wireless  link  to  transfer  information 
 between  vehicles  traveling  at  high  speeds  and  roadside  units,  other  vehicles,  or  portable  roadside  units.  In  this  regard,  DSRC  will  be  essential  to  many  ITS  applications  that  are  expected  to 
 improve  traveler  safety,  decrease  traffic  congestion,  reduce  air  pollution,  and  conserve  vital  fossil  fuels. 


 Background 
 In  October  1999,  the  Commission  released  a  Report  and  Order,  ET  Docket  No.  98-  95  (Allocation  Report  and  Order)  allocating  the  5.9  GHz  band  for  DSRC-  based  ITS  applications 
 and  adopting  basic  technical  rules  for  DSRC  operations.  Since  the  release  of  the  Allocation  Report  and  Order,  the  Intelligent  Transportation  Society  of  America  (ITS  America)  –  a  Federal 
 Advisory  Committee  to  the  Department  of  Transportation  on  ITS  matters  –  has  worked  to  develop  a  consensus  in  the  ITS  community  on  the  development  of  licensing  and  service  rules. 
 Since  October  2000,  ITS  America  has  filed  numerous  documents  with  the  Commission  concerning  the  development  of  the  service  rules  for  DSRC  operations  in  the  5.9  GHz  band.  Most 
 recently,  in  July  2002,  ITS  America  filed  a  detailed  proposed  band  plan  and  set  of  licensing  and  operational  rules. 
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 Specifics  of  the  adopted  Notice 
 In  the  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking,  the  Commission: 
 €  Tentatively  concludes  that  the  5.9  GHz  band  should  be  used  primarily  for  public  safety  purposes 


 €  Seeks  comment  on  how  to  define  “public  safety”  uses  of  the  5.9  GHz  band  €  Seeks  comment  on  whether  to  modify  the  definition  of  DSRC 
 €  Seeks  comment  on  how  to  license  roadside  units  (site-  based  or  geographic  area)  €  Seeks  comment  on  how  to  achieve  interoperability  in  the  band 


 Action  by  the  Commission  on  November  7,  2002,  by  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  and  Order  (FCC  02-  302).  Chairman  Powell,  Commissioners  Abernathy,  Copps  and  Martin. 


 -  FCC  - 
 Wireless  Bureau  Contact:  Nancy  Zaczek  (202)  418-  0680  or  nzaczek@  fcc.  gov. 
 WT  Docket  No.  01-  90 
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