1998 Biennial Regulatory Review-Withdrawal of the Commission as an Accounting Authority in the Maritime Mobile and Maritime Mobile-Satellite Radio Services

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission ("Commission" or "FCC") instructs Commission staff to, within 120 days, consult with Federal stakeholders, including the United States Coast Guard (Coast Guard), and to work with service providers to finalize and announce a plan to transition the functions and duties performed by the Commission as an accounting authority for those customers in the maritime mobile and maritime mobile-satellite radio services that have not otherwise designated any such accounting authority. In the Second Report and Order, the Commission provides a substantial transition period of up to one year following announcement of the transition plan to ensure an orderly transfer of the Commission's accounting authority duties to private authorities.