Cellular Service and Other Commercial Mobile Radio Services in the Gulf of Mexico

In this Report and Order, the Commission resolves certain issues raised in the Second Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making (Second Further NPRM) in WT Docket No. 97-112 and CC Docket No. 90-6, and adopts a bifurcated approach to cellular licensing in the Gulf of Mexico Service Area ("GMSA") based on the differences between the deployment of cellular service in the Eastern Gulf and the Western Gulf. In the Eastern Gulf, the Commission establishes a Coastal Zone in which its cellular unserved area licensing rules will apply. Cellular service in the Western Gulf will continue to be governed by current rules, with certain modifications to facilitate negotiated solutions to ongoing coverage conflicts between Gulf-based and land-based carriers. The Commission establishes the Gulf of Mexico Exclusive Zone in which the Gulf carriers will be exclusively licensed to operate. Further, the Commission concludes that the issue of establishing new Gulf licensing areas for non-cellular services should be addressed on a service-by- service basis. The Commission also clarifies the rights of land-based licensees in those services in which it has not provided for licensing of carriers in the Gulf. The Commission concludes that these actions will spur the development of reliable service where needed, minimize disturbance to current operations and contractual arrangements, and help to resolve coverage conflicts.