Goto Section: 21.7 | 21.107
FCC 21.99
Revised as of May 5, 2005
Goto Year:2004 |
2006
Sec. 22.99 Definitions.
Link to an amendment published at 70 FR 19307 , Apr. 13, 2005.
Terms used in this part have the following meanings:
Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service. A radio service in which common
carriers are authorized to offer and provide radio telecommunications
service for hire to subscribers in aircraft.
Airborne station. A mobile station in the Air-Ground Radiotelephone
Service authorized for use on aircraft while in flight or on the
ground.
Antenna structure. A structure comprising an antenna, the tower or
other structure that exists solely to support antennas, and any
surmounting appurtenances (attachments such as beacons or lightning
rods).
Antenna. A device that converts radio frequency electrical energy to
radiated electromagnetic energy and vice versa; in a transmitting
station, the device from which radio waves are emitted.
Authorized bandwidth. The necessary or occupied bandwidth of an
emission, whichever is more.
Authorized spectrum. The spectral width of that portion of the
electromagnetic spectrum within which the emission power of the
authorized transmitter(s) must be contained, in accordance with the
rules in this part. The authorized spectrum comprises one channel
bandwidth or the bandwidths of two or more contiguous channels.
Auxiliary test transmitter. A fixed transmitter used to test Public
Mobile systems.
Base transmitter. A stationary transmitter that provides radio
telecommunications service to mobile and/or fixed receivers, including
those associated with mobile stations.
Blanketing interference. Disturbance in consumer receivers located in
the immediate vicinity of a transmitter, caused by currents directly
induced into the consumer receiver's circuitry by the relatively high
field strength of the transmitter.
Build-out transmitters. In the Cellular Radiotelephone Service,
transmitters added to the first cellular system authorized on a
channel block in a cellular market during the five year build-out
period in order to expand the coverage of the system within the
market.
Cardinal radials. Eight imaginary straight lines extending radially on
the ground from an antenna location in the following azimuths with
respect to true North: 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, 225°, 270°, 315°.
Carrier frequency. The frequency of the unmodulated electrical wave at
the output of an amplitude modulated (AM), frequency modulated (FM) or
phase modulated (PM) transmitter.
Cell. The service area of an individual transmitter location in a
cellular system.
Cellular Geographic Service Area. The geographic area served by a
cellular system, within which that system is entitled to protection
and adverse effects are recognized, for the purpose of determining
whether a petitioner has standing. See Sec. 22.911.
Cellular markets. Standard geographic areas used by the FCC for
administrative convenience in the licensing of cellular systems. See
Sec. 22.909.
Cellular Radiotelephone Service. A radio service in which common
carriers are authorized to offer and provide cellular service for hire
to the general public. This service was formerly titled Domestic
Public Cellular Radio Telecommunications Service.
Cellular repeater. In the Cellular Radiotelephone Service, a
stationary transmitter or device that automatically re-radiates the
transmissions of base transmitters at a particular cell site and
mobile stations communicating with those base transmitters, with or
without channel translation.
Cellular service. Radio telecommunication services provided using a
cellular system.
Cellular system. An automated high-capacity system of one or more
multichannel base stations designed to provide radio telecommunication
services to mobile stations over a wide area in a spectrally efficient
manner. Cellular systems employ techniques such as low transmitting
power and automatic hand-off between base stations of communications
in progress to enable channels to be reused at relatively short
distances. Cellular systems may also employ digital techniques such as
voice encoding and decoding, data compression, error correction, and
time or code division multiple access in order to increase system
capacity.
Center frequency. The frequency of the middle of the bandwidth of a
channel.
Central office transmitter. A fixed transmitter in the Rural
Radiotelephone Service that provides service to rural subscriber
stations.
CGSA. See Cellular Geographic Service Area.
Channel. The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum assigned by the
FCC for one emission. In certain circumstances, however, more than one
emission may be transmitted on a channel. See, for example, Sec. 22.161.
Channel bandwidth. The spectral width of a channel, as specified in
this part, within which 99% of the emission power must be contained.
Channel block. A group of channels that are assigned together, not
individually.
Channel pair. Two channels that are assigned together, not
individually. In this part, channel pairs are indicated by an ellipsis
between the center frequencies.
Communications channel. In the Cellular Radiotelephone and Air-ground
Radiotelephone Services, a channel used to carry subscriber
communications.
Construction period. The period between the date of grant of an
authorization and the date of required commencement of service.
Control channel. In the Cellular Radiotelephone Service and the
Air-ground Radiotelephone Service, a channel used to transmit
information necessary to establish or maintain communications. In the
other Public Mobile Services, a channel that may be assigned to a
control transmitter.
Control point. A location where the operation of a public mobile
station is supervised and controlled by the licensee of that station.
Control transmitter. A fixed transmitter in the Public Mobile Services
that transmits control signals to one or more base or fixed stations
for the purpose of controlling the operation of the base or fixed
stations, and/or transmits subscriber communications to one or more
base or fixed stations that retransmit them to subscribers.
Dead spots. Small areas within a service area where the field strength
is lower than the minimum level for reliable service. Service within
dead spots is presumed.
Dispatch service. A radiotelephone service comprising communications
between a dispatcher and one or more mobile units. These
communications normally do not exceed one minute in duration and are
transmitted directly through a base station, without passing through
mobile telephone switching facilities.
Effective radiated power (ERP). The effective radiated power of a
transmitter (with antenna, transmission line, duplexers etc.) is the
power that would be necessary at the input terminals of a reference
half-wave dipole antenna in order to produce the same maximum field
intensity. ERP is usually calculated by multiplying the measured
transmitter output power by the specified antenna system gain,
relative to a half-wave dipole, in the direction of interest.
Emission. The electromagnetic energy radiated from an antenna.
Emission designator. An internationally accepted symbol for describing
an emission in terms of its bandwidth and the characteristics of its
modulation, if any. See Sec. 2.201 of this chapter for details.
Emission mask. The design limits imposed, as a condition or
certification, on the mean power of emissions as a function of
frequency both within the authorized bandwidth and in the adjacent
spectrum.
Equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP). The equivalent
isotropically radiated power of a transmitter (with antenna,
transmission line, duplexers etc.) is the power that would be
necessary at the input terminals of a reference isotropic radiator in
order to produce the same maximum field intensity. An isotropic
radiator is a theoretical lossless point source of radiation with
unity gain in all directions. EIRP is usually calculated by
multiplying the measured transmitter output power by the specified
antenna system gain, relative to an isotropic radiator, in the
direction of interest.
Extension. In the Cellular Radiotelephone Service, an area within the
service area boundary of a cellular system, but outside of the market
boundary. See Sec. Sec. 22.911(c) and 22.912.
Facsimile service. Transmission of still images from one place to
another by means of radio.
Fill-in transmitters. Transmitters added to a station, in the same
area and transmitting on the same channel or channel block as
previously authorized transmitters, that do not expand the existing
service area, but are established for the purpose of improving
reception in dead spots.
Five year build-out period. A five year period during which the
licensee of the first cellular system authorized on each channel block
in each cellular market may expand the system within that market. See
Sec. 22.947.
Fixed transmitter. A stationary transmitter that communicates with
other stationary transmitters.
Frequency. The number of cycles occurring per second of an electrical
or electromagnetic wave; a number representing a specific point in the
electromagnetic spectrum.
Ground station. In the Air-ground Radiotelephone Service, a stationary
transmitter that provides service to airborne mobile stations.
Gulf of Mexico Service Area (GMSA). The cellular market comprising the
water area of the Gulf of Mexico bounded on the West, North and East
by the coastline. Coastline, for this purpose, means the line of
ordinary low water along that portion of the coast which is in direct
contact with the open sea, and the line marking the seaward limit of
inland waters. Inland waters include bays, historic inland waters and
waters circumscribed by a fringe of islands within the immediate
vicinity of the shoreline.
Height above average terrain (HAAT). The height of an antenna above
the average elevation of the surrounding area.
In-building radiation systems. Supplementary systems comprising low
power transmitters, receivers, indoor antennas and/or leaky coaxial
cable radiators, designed to improve service reliability inside
buildings or structures located within the service areas of stations
in the Public Mobile Services.
Initial cellular applications. Applications for authority to construct
and operate a new cellular system, excluding applications for interim
operating authority.
Interfering contour. The locus of points surrounding a transmitter
where the predicted median field strength of the signal from that
transmitter is the maximum field strength that is not considered to
cause interference at the service contour of another transmitter.
Interoffice transmitter. A fixed transmitter in the Rural
Radiotelephone Service that communicates with other interoffice
transmitters for the purpose of interconnecting rural central offices.
Meteor burst propagation mode. A long distance VHF radio communication
path occurring as a result of the refraction of electromagnetic waves
by ionized meteor trails.
Mobile station. One or more transmitters that are capable of operation
while in motion.
Necessary bandwidth. The calculated spectral width of an emission.
Calculations are made using procedures set forth in part 2 of this
chapter. The bandwidth so calculated is considered to be the minimum
necessary to convey information at the desired rate with the desired
accuracy.
Occupied bandwidth. The measured spectral width of an emission. The
measurement determines occupied bandwidth as the difference between
upper and lower frequencies where 0.5% of the emission power is above
the upper frequency and 0.5% of the emission power is below the lower
frequency.
Offshore central transmitter. A fixed transmitter in the Offshore
Radiotelephone Service that provides service to offshore subscriber
stations.
Offshore Radiotelephone Service. A radio service in which common
carriers are authorized to offer and provide radio telecommunication
services for hire to subscribers on structures in the offshore coastal
waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Offshore subscriber station. One or more fixed and/or mobile
transmitters in the Offshore Radiotelephone Service that receive
service from offshore central transmitters.
Pager. A small radio receiver designed to be carried by a person and
to give an aural, visual or tactile indication when activated by the
reception of a radio signal containing its specific code. It may also
reproduce sounds and/or display messages that were also transmitted.
Some pagers also transmit a radio signal acknowledging that a message
has been received.
Paging geographic area authorization. An authorization conveying the
exclusive right to establish and expand one or more stations
throughout a paging geographic area or, in the case of a partitioned
geographic area, throughout a specified portion of a paging geographic
area, on a specified channel allocated for assignment in the Paging
and Radiotelephone Service. These are subject to the conditions that
no interference may be caused to existing co-channel stations operated
by other licensees within the paging geographic area and that no
interference may be caused to existing or proposed co-channel stations
of other licensees in adjoining paging geographic areas.
Paging geographic areas. Standard geographic areas used by the FCC for
administrative convenience in the licensing of stations to operate on
channels allocated for assignment in the Paging and Radiotelephone
Service. See Sec. 22.503(b).
Paging and Radiotelephone Service. A radio service in which common
carriers are authorized to offer and provide paging and radiotelephone
service for hire to the general public. This service was formerly
titled Public Land Mobile Service.
Paging service. Transmission of coded radio signals for the purpose of
activating specific pagers; such transmissions may include messages
and/or sounds.
Partitioned cellular market. A cellular market with two or more
authorized cellular systems on the same channel block during the five
year build-out period, as a result of settlements during initial
licensing or contract(s) between the licensee of the first cellular
system and the licensee(s) of the subsequent systems. See Sec. 22.947(b).
Public Mobile Services. Radio services in which common carriers are
authorized to offer and provide mobile and related fixed radio
telecommunication services for hire to the public.
Radio common carrier. A telecommunications common carrier that
provides radio communications services but is not engaged in the
business of providing landline local exchange telephone service.
Radio telecommunication services. Communication services provided by
the use of radio, including radiotelephone, radiotelegraph, paging and
facsimile service.
Radiotelegraph service. Transmission of messages from one place to
another by means of radio.
Radiotelephone service. Transmission of sound from one place to
another by means of radio.
Repeater. A fixed transmitter that retransmits the signals of other
stations.
Roamer. A mobile station receiving service from a station or system in
the Public Mobile Services other than one to which it is a subscriber.
Rural Radiotelephone Service. A radio service in which common carriers
are authorized to offer and provide radio telecommunication services
for hire to subscribers in areas where it is not feasible to provide
communication services by wire or other means.
Rural subscriber station. One or more fixed transmitters in the Rural
Radiotelephone Service that receive service from central office
transmitters.
Service area. The geographic area considered by the FCC to be reliably
served by a station in the Public Mobile Services.
Service contour. The locus of points surrounding a transmitter where
the predicted median field strength of the signal from that
transmitter is the minimum field strength that is considered
sufficient to provide reliable service to mobile stations.
Service to subscribers. Service to at least one subscriber that is not
affiliated with, controlled by or related to the providing carrier.
Signal booster. A stationary device that automatically reradiates
signals from base transmitters without channel translation, for the
purpose of improving the reliability of existing service by increasing
the signal strength in dead spots.
Station. A station equipped to engage in radio communication or radio
transmission of energy (47 U.S.C. 153(k)).
Telecommunications common carrier. An individual, partnership,
association, joint-stock company, trust or corporation engaged in
rendering radio telecommunications services to the general public for
hire.
Temporary fixed station. One or more fixed transmitters that normally
do not remain at any particular location for longer than 6 months.
Universal licensing system. The Universal Licensing System (ULS) is
the consolidated database, application filing system, and processing
system for all Wireless Radio Services. ULS supports electronic filing
of all applications and related documents by applicants and licensees
in the Wireless Radio Services, and provides public access to
licensing information.
Unserved areas. With regard to a channel block allocated for
assignment in the Cellular Radiotelephone Service: Geographic area in
the District of Columbia, or any State, Territory or possession of the
United States of America that is not within the CGSA of any cellular
system authorized to transmit on that channel block. With regard to a
channel allocated for assignment in the Paging and Radiotelephone
Service: Geographic area within the District of Columbia, or any
State, Territory or possession of the United States of America that is
not within the service contour of any base transmitter in any station
authorized to transmit on that channel.
Wireline common carrier. A telecommunications common carrier that is
also engaged in the business of providing landline local exchange
telephone service.
[ 59 FR 59507 , Nov. 17, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 31050 , June 19, 1996;
61 FR 54098 , Oct. 17, 1996; 62 FR 11628 , Mar. 12, 1997; 63 FR 36603 ,
July 7, 1998; 63 FR 68943 , Dec. 14, 1998; 67 FR 9609 , Mar. 4, 2002]
Subpart B--Licensing Requirements and Procedures
Applications and Notifications
Goto Section: 21.7 | 21.107
Goto Year: 2004 |
2006
CiteFind - See documents on FCC website that
cite this rule
Report errors in
this rule. Since these rules are converted to HTML by machine, it's possible errors have been made. Please
help us improve these rules by clicking the Report FCC Rule Errors link to report an error.