§ 90.523   Eligibility.

   This section implements the definition of public safety services contained
   in  47 U.S.C. 337(f)(1). The following are eligible to hold Commission
   authorizations for systems operating in the 769-775 MHz and 799-805 MHz
   frequency bands:

   (a) State or local government entities. Any territory, possession, state,
   city,  county,  town, or similar State or local governmental entity is
   eligible to hold authorizations in the 764-776 MHz and 794-806 MHz frequency
   bands.

   (b) Nongovernmental organizations. A nongovernmental organization (NGO) that
   provides services, the sole or principal purpose of which is to protect the
   safety of life, health, or property, is eligible to hold an authorization
   for a system operating in the 764-776 MHz and 794-806 MHz frequency bands
   for transmission or reception of communications essential to providing such
   services if (and only for so long as) the NGO applicant/licensee:

   (1) Has the ongoing support (to operate such system) of a state or local
   governmental  entity whose mission is the oversight of or provision of
   services, the sole or principal purpose of which is to protect the safety of
   life, health, or property;

   (2) Operates such authorized system solely for transmission of communication
   essential to providing services the sole or principal purpose of which is to
   protect the safety of life, health, or property; and

   (3) All applications submitted by NGOs must be accompanied by a new, written
   certification of support (for the NGO applicant to operate the applied-for
   system) by the state or local governmental entity referenced in paragraph
   (b)(1) of this section.

   (c) All NGO authorizations are conditional. NGOs assume all risks associated
   with operating under conditional authority. Authorizations issued to NGOs to
   operate systems in the 764-776 MHz and 794-806 MHz frequency bands include
   the following condition: If at any time the supporting governmental entity
   (see  paragraph  (b)(1))  notifies  the  Commission in writing of such
   governmental entity's termination of its authorization of a NGO's operation
   of a system in the 764-776 MHz and 794-806 MHz frequency bands, the NGO's
   application  shall be dismissed automatically or, if authorized by the
   Commission, the NGO's authorization shall terminate automatically.

   (d) Paragraphs (a) and (b) notwithstanding, no entity is eligible to hold an
   authorization for a system operating in the 764-776 MHz and 794-806 MHz
   frequency bands on the basis of services, the sole or principal purpose of
   which is to protect the safety of life, health or property, that such entity
   makes commercially available to the public.

   (e) A nationwide license for the 758-769 MHz and 788-799 MHz bands shall be
   issued to the First Responder Network Authority.

   [ 63 FR 58651 , Nov. 2, 1998, as amended at  65 FR 53645 , Sept. 5, 2000;  72 FR 48860 , Aug. 24, 2007;  79 FR 600 , Jan. 6, 2014]

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