NEWS
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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).
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March 21, 2008 Chelsea Fallon:  (202) 418-7991
FCC MODIFIES PCS AND AWS POWER LIMIT RULES TO 
FACILITATE BROADBAND WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES 
Washington, D.C. – In a Third Report and Order (Order) released today, the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC) modified the rules governing Broadband Personal 
Communications Services (PCS) and Advanced Wireless Services (AWS-1) to permit the use of 
a power spectral density model (PSD) when measuring and calculating emissions and power 
limits.  Today’s action is consistent with the FCC’s April 2007 decision to allow a PSD model in 
the commercial services portions of the 700 MHz Band. 
Today’s rule changes offer greater flexibility to PCS and AWS-1 operators, are more 
technologically neutral, and will better accommodate broadband technologies.  The PSD model 
also has the potential to reduce network infrastructure costs, thus enabling providers to offer 
enhanced wireless broadband services, including to consumers living in rural America.
The existing PCS and AWS-1 rules measure radiated power in terms of watts per 
emission and limit power output regardless of bandwidth size.  In the PSD model, radiated power 
levels are calculated on a watts-per-megahertz basis when operating with greater than one 
megahertz of bandwidth.
In addition, under the existing rules, power levels are measured using peak values, while 
under the new rules, power levels may now be measured using average values.  This is a more 
practical way to measure power levels and will accommodate new wireless technologies that 
produce emissions with sub-microsecond power spikes.  In order to prevent interference that may 
occur from measuring average power levels, the FCC adopted a peak-to-average ratio limit of 13 
dB.
In today’s Order, the FCC declined to adopt a proposal to double the base station 
effective isotropic radiated power limits for PCS and AWS-1 licensees.  This proposal raised 
significant concerns regarding potential harmful interference to operators in adjacent spectrum 
bands.  The FCC also declined to change radiated power limit rules for other services besides 
PCS and AWS-1 at this time.
Action by the Commission on March 18, 2008, by Third Report and Order (FCC 08-85).  
Chairman Martin and Commissioners Copps, Adelstein, Tate, and McDowell.  
2
For additional information, contact Nina Shafran in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau at 
(202) 418-2781 or Nina.Shafran@fcc.gov. 
WT Docket No. 03-264
– FCC –
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