§ 27.6   Service areas.

   (a) WCS service areas include Economic Areas (EAs), Major Economic Areas
   (MEAs),  Regional  Economic  Area  Groupings (REAGs), cellular markets
   comprising Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and Rural Service Areas
   (RSAs), and a nationwide area. MEAs and REAGs are defined in the Table
   immediately following paragraph (a)(1) of this section. Both MEAs and REAGs
   are based on the U.S. Department of Commerce's EAs. See  60 FR 13114  (March
   10, 1995). In addition, the Commission shall separately license Guam and the
   Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands,
   American  Samoa,  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, which have been assigned
   Commission-created EA numbers 173-176, respectively. The nationwide area is
   composed of the contiguous 48 states, Alaska, Hawaii, the Gulf of Mexico,
   and the U.S. territories. Maps of the EAs, MEAs, MSAs, RSAs, and REAGs and
   the Federal Register Notice that established the 172 EAs are available for
   public inspection and copying at the Reference Information Center, Consumer
   and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th
   Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554.

   (1)  The  52 MEAs are composed of one or more EAs and the 12 REAGs are
   composed of one or more MEAs, as defined in the table below:
   REAGs MEAs EAs
   1 (Northeast) 1 (Boston) 1-3.
       2 (New York City) 4-7, 10.
       3 (Buffalo) 8.
       4 (Philadelphia) 11-12.
   2 (Southeast) 5 (Washington) 13-14.
       6 (Richmond) 15-17, 20.
       7 (Charlotte-Greensboro-Greenville-Raleigh) 18-19, 21-26, 41-42, 46.
       8 (Atlanta) 27-28, 37-40, 43.
       9 (Jacksonville) 29, 35.
       10 (Tampa-St. Petersburg-Orlando) 30, 33-34.
       11 (Miami) 31-32.
   3 (Great Lakes) 12 (Pittsburgh) 9, 52-53.
       13 (Cincinnati-Dayton) 48-50.
       14 (Columbus) 51.
       15 (Cleveland) 54-55.
       16 (Detroit) 56-58, 61-62.
       17 (Milwaukee) 59-60, 63, 104-105, 108.
       18 (Chicago) 64-66, 68, 97, 101.
       19 (Indianapolis) 67.
       20 (Minneapolis-St. Paul) 106-107, 109-114, 116.
       21 (Des Moines-Quad Cities) 100, 102-103, 117.
   4 (Mississippi Valley) 22 (Knoxville) 44-45.
       23 (Louisville-Lexington-Evansville) 47, 69-70, 72.
       24 (Birmingham) 36, 74, 78-79.
       25 (Nashville) 71.
       26 (Memphis-Jackson) 73, 75-77.
       27 (New Orleans-Baton Rouge) 80-85.
       28 (Little Rock) 90-92, 95.
       29 (Kansas City) 93, 99, 123.
       30 (St. Louis) 94, 96, 98.
   5 (Central) 31 (Houston) 86-87, 131.
       32 (Dallas-Fort Worth) 88-89, 127-130, 135, 137-138.
       33 (Denver) 115, 140-143.
       34 (Omaha) 118-121.
       35 (Wichita) 122.
       36 (Tulsa) 124.
       37 (Oklahoma City) 125-126.
       38 (San Antonio) 132-134.
       39 (El Paso-Albuquerque) 136, 139, 155-157.
       40 (Phoenix) 154, 158-159.
   6 (West) 41 (Spokane-Billings) 144-147, 168.
       42 (Salt Lake City) 148-150, 152.
       43 (San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose) 151, 162-165.
       44 (Los Angeles-San Diego) 153, 160-161.
       45 (Portland) 166-167.
       46 (Seattle) 169-170.
   7 (Alaska) 47 (Alaska) 171.
   8 (Hawaii) 48 (Hawaii) 172.
   9 (Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands) 49 (Guam and the Northern Mariana
   Islands) 173.
   10 (Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands) 50 (Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin
   Islands) 174.
   11 (American Samoa) 51 (American Samoa) 175.
   12 (Gulf of Mexico) 52 (Gulf of Mexico) 176.

   (2) The Gulf of Mexico EA extends from 12 nautical miles off the U.S. Gulf
   coast outward into the Gulf.

   (b) 746-758 MHz, 775-788 MHz, and 805-806 MHz bands. WCS service areas for
   the 746-758 MHz, 775-788 MHz, and 805-806 MHz bands are as follows.

   (1) Service areas for Block A in the 757-758 MHz and 787-788 MHz bands and
   Block B in the 775-776 MHz and 805-806 MHz bands are based on Major Economic
   Areas (MEAs), as defined in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section.

   (2) Service areas for Block C in the 746-757 MHz and 776-787 MHz bands are
   based on Regional Economic Area Groupings (REAGs) as defined by paragraph
   (a) of this section. In the event that no licenses with respect to service
   areas for Block C in the 746-757 MHz and 776-787 MHz bands are assigned
   based on the results of the first auction in which such licenses are offered
   because the auction results do not satisfy the applicable reserve price,
   then service areas for the spectrum at 746-757 MHz and 776-787 MHz will
   instead be available for assignment as follows:

   (i) Service areas for Block C1 in the 746-752 MHz and 776-782 MHz bands are
   based on Economic Areas (EAs) as defined in paragraph (a) of this section.

   (ii) Service areas for Block C2 in the 752-757 MHz and 782-787 MHz bands are
   based on Regional Economic Area Groupings (REAGs) as defined by paragraph
   (a) of this section.

   (c) 698-746 MHz band. WCS service areas for the 698-746 MHz band are as
   follows:

   (1) Service areas for Block A in the 698-704 MHz and 728-734 MHz bands and
   Block E in the 722-728 MHz band are based on Economic Areas (EAs) as defined
   in paragraph (a) of this section.

   (2) Service areas for Block B in the 704-710 MHz and 734-740 MHz bands and
   Block C in the 710-716 MHz and 740-746 MHz bands are based on cellular
   markets comprising Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and Rural Service
   Areas (RSAs) as defined by Public Notice Report No. CL-92-40 “Common Carrier
   Public  Mobile  Services  Information,  Cellular  MSA/RSA  Markets and
   Counties,” dated January 24, 1992, DA 92-109, 7 FCC Rcd 742 (1992), with the
   following modifications:

   (i) The service areas of cellular markets that border the U.S. coastline of
   the Gulf of Mexico extend 12 nautical miles from the U.S. Gulf coastline.

   (ii) The service area of cellular market 306 that comprises the water area
   of the Gulf of Mexico extends from 12 nautical miles off the U.S. Gulf coast
   outward into the Gulf.

   (3) Service areas for Block D in the 716-722 MHz band are based on Economic
   Area Groupings (EAGs) as defined by the Federal Communications Commission.
   See  62 FR 15978  (April 3, 1997) extended with the Gulf of Mexico. See also
   paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section and  62 FR 9636  (March 3, 1997),
   in which the Commission created an additional four economic area-like areas
   for a total of 176. Maps of the EAGs and the Federal Register notice that
   established the 172 Economic Areas (EAs) are available for public inspection
   and copying at the Reference Center, Room CY A-257, 445 12th St., SW.,
   Washington, DC 20554. These maps and data are also available on the FCC Web
   site at http://www.fcc.gov/oet/info/maps/areas/.

   (i) There are 6 EAGs, which are composed of multiple EAs as defined in the
   table below:
   Economic area groupings Name Economic areas
   EAG001 Northeast 1-11, 54.
   EAG002 Mid-Atlantic 12-26, 41, 42, 44-53, 70.
   EAG003 Southeast 27-40, 43, 69, 71-86, 88-90, 95, 96, 174, 176 (part).
   EAG004 Great Lakes 55-68, 97, 100-109.
   EAG005 Central/Mountain 87, 91-94, 98, 99, 110-146, 148, 149, 152, 154-159,
   176 (part).
   EAG006 Pacific 147, 150, 151, 153, 160-173, 175.

   Note 1 to paragraph (c)(3)(i): Economic Area Groupings are defined by the
   Federal Communications Commission; see  62 FR 15978  (April 3, 1997) extended
   with the Gulf of Mexico.

   Note 2 to paragraph (c)(3)(i): Economic Areas are defined by the Regional
   Economic Analysis Division, Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of
   Commerce  February  1995  and  extended  by the Federal Communications
   Commission, see  62 FR 9636  (March 3, 1997).

   (ii) For purposes of paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section, EA 176 (the Gulf
   of Mexico) will be divided between EAG003 (the Southeast EAG) and EAG005
   (the Central/Mountain EAG) in accordance with the configuration of the
   Eastern/Central  and  Western Planning Area established by the Mineral
   Management Services Bureau of the Department of the Interior (MMS). That
   portion of EA 176 contained in the Eastern and Central Planning Areas as
   defined by MMS will be included in EAG003; that portion of EA 176 contained
   in the Western Planning Area as defined by MMS will be included in EAG005.
   Maps   of   these   areas   may   be   found  on  the  MMS  Web  site:
   http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/offshore/offshore.html.

   (d) 1390-1392 MHz band. Service areas for the 1390-1392 MHz band is based on
   Major Economic Areas (MEAs), as defined in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of
   this section.

   (e) The paired 1392-1395 and 1432-1435 MHz bands. Service areas for the
   paired 1392-1395 and 1432-1435 MHz bands are as follows. Service areas for
   Block A in the 1392-1393.5 MHz and 1432-1433.5 MHz bands and Block B in the
   1393.5-1395  MHz  and 1433.5-1435 MHz bands are based on Economic Area
   Groupings (EAGs) as defined in paragraph (c)(3) of this section.

   (f)  1670-1675  MHz band. Service areas for the 1670-1675 MHz band are
   available on a nationwide basis.

   (g) [Reserved]

   (h) 1710-1755 and 2110-2155 MHz bands. AWS service areas for the 1710-1755
   MHz and 2110-2155 MHz bands are as follows:

   (1) Service areas for Block A (1710-1720 MHz and 2110-2120 MHz) are based on
   cellular markets comprising Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and Rural
   Service Areas (RSAs) as defined by Public Notice Report No. CL-92-40 “Common
   Carrier Public Mobile Services Information, Cellular MSA/RSA Markets and
   Counties,” dated January 24, 1992, DA 92-109, 7 FCC Rcd 742 (1992), with the
   following modifications:

   (i) The service areas of cellular markets that border the U.S. coastline of
   the Gulf of Mexico extend 12 nautical miles from the U.S. Gulf coastline.

   (ii) The service area of cellular market 306 that comprises the water area
   of the Gulf of Mexico extends from 12 nautical miles off the U.S. Gulf coast
   outward into the Gulf.

   (2) Service areas for Blocks B (1720-1730 MHz and 2120-2130 MHz) and C
   (1730-1735 MHz and 2130-2135 MHz) are based on Economic Areas (EAs) as
   defined in paragraph (a) of this section.

   (3)  Service  areas  for blocks D (1735-1740 MHz and 2135-2140 MHz), E
   (1740-1745 MHz and 2140-2145 MHz) and F (1745-1755 MHz and 2145-2155 MHz)
   are  based  on  Regional Economic Area Groupings (REAGs) as defined by
   paragraph (a) of this section.

   (i)  2000-2020  MHz and 2180-2200 MHz bands. AWS service areas for the
   2000-2020 MHz and 2180-2200 MHz bands are based on Economic Areas (EAs) as
   defined in paragraph (a) of this section.

   (j)  1915-1920  MHz and 1995-2000 MHz bands. AWS service areas for the
   1915-1920 MHz and 1995-2000 MHz bands are based on Economic Areas (EAs) as
   defined in paragraph (a) of this section.

   (k) 1695-1710 MHz, 1755-1780 MHz, and 2155-2180 MHz bands. AWS service areas
   for  the  1695-1710 MHz, 1755-1780 MHz, and 2155-2180 MHz bands are as
   follows:

   (1) Service areas for Block G (1755-1760 MHz and 2155-2160 MHz) are based on
   cellular markets comprising Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and Rural
   Service Areas (RSAs) as defined by Public Notice Report No. CL-92-40 “Common
   Carrier Public Mobile Services Information, Cellular MSA/RSA Markets and
   Counties,” dated January 24, 1992, DA 92-109, 7 FCC Rcd 742 (1992), with the
   following modifications:

   (i) The service areas of cellular markets that border the U.S. coastline of
   the Gulf of Mexico extend 12 nautical miles from the U.S. Gulf coastline.

   (ii) The service area of cellular market 306 that comprises the water area
   of the Gulf of Mexico extends from 12 nautical miles off the U.S. Gulf coast
   outward into the Gulf.

   (2)  Service  areas  for Blocks H (1760-1765 MHz and 2160-2165 MHz), I
   (1765-1770 MHz and 2165-2170 MHz), J (1770-1780 MHz and 2170-2180 MHz), A1
   (1695-1700 MHz) and B1 (1700-1710 MHz) are based on Economic Areas (EAs) as
   defined in paragraph (a) of this section.

   (l) 600 MHz band. Service areas for the 600 MHz band are based on Partial
   Economic   Areas  (PEAs),  as  defined  by  Public  Notice:  “Wireless
   Telecommunications Bureau Provides Details About Partial Economic Areas,” DA
   14-759, dated June 2, 2014. The service areas of PEAs that border the U.S.
   coastline of the Gulf of Mexico extend 12 nautical miles from the U.S. Gulf
   coastline. The service area of the Gulf of Mexico PEA that comprises the
   water area of the Gulf of Mexico extends from 12 nautical miles off the U.S.
   Gulf coast outward into the Gulf. Maps of the PEAs and the Federal Register
   notice that established the 416 PEAs are available for public inspection and
   copying  at  the  Reference  Center,  Room CY A-257, 445 12th St. SW.,
   Washington, DC 20554. These maps and data are also available on the FCC Web
   site  at: http://www.fcc.gov/oet/info/maps/areas/. The specific title,
   reference number, and date of the public notice will be determined in light
   of further proceedings pursuant to Docket No. 12-268 and the rule will be
   updated accordingly.

   [ 62 FR 9658 , Mar. 3, 1997, as amended at  64 FR 60726 , Nov. 8, 1999;  65 FR 3145 , Jan. 20, 2000;  65 FR 17602 , Apr. 4, 2000;  65 FR 60113 , Oct. 10, 2000;
    67 FR 13225 , Mar. 21, 2002;  67 FR 5510 , Feb. 6, 2002;  67 FR 41854 , June 20,
   2002;  69 FR 5714 , Feb. 6, 2004;  69 FR 77950 , Dec. 29, 2004;  70 FR 58065 ,
   Oct. 5, 2005;  72 FR 48844 , Aug. 24, 2007;  72 FR 67577 , Nov. 29, 2007;  78 FR 8267 , Feb. 5, 2013;  78 FR 50254 , Aug. 16, 2013;  79 FR 597 , Jan. 6, 2014;  79 FR 32410 , June 4, 2014;  79 FR 48536 , Aug. 15, 2014]

   return arrow Back to Top