Sec.  3.2   Terms and definitions.

   (a) Accounting Authority. The Administration of the country that has issued
   the license for a mobile station or the recognized operating agency or other
   entity/entities designated by the Administration in accordance with ITR,
   Appendix  2 and ITU-T Recommendation D.90 to whom maritime accounts in
   respect of mobile stations licensed by that country may be sent.

   (b) Accounting Authority Certification Officer. The official designated by
   the  Managing  Director,  Federal  Communications  Commission,  who is
   responsible, based on the coordination and review of information related to
   applicants, for granting certification as an accounting authority in the
   maritime mobile and maritime mobile-satellite radio services. The Accounting
   Authority Certification Officer may initiate action to suspend or cancel an
   accounting authority certification if it is determined to be in the public's
   best interest.

   (c)  Accounting  Authority  Identification Codes (AAICs). The discrete
   identification  code  of  an  accounting authority responsible for the
   settlement of maritime accounts (Annex A to ITU-T Recommendation D.90).

   (d) Administration. Any governmental department or service responsible for
   discharging  the  obligations  undertaken  in  the  Convention  of the
   International  Telecommunication  Union and the Radio Regulations. For
   purposes of these rules, “Administration” refers to a foreign government or
   the U.S. Government, and more specifically, to the Federal Communications
   Commission.

   (e) Authorization. Approval by the Federal Communications Commission to
   operate as an accounting authority. Synonymous with “certification”.

   (f)  CCITT.  The  internationally  recognized  French  acronym for the
   International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee, one of the
   former sub-entities of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The
   CCITT   (ITU-T)^1   is   responsible   for   developing  international
   telecommunications  recommendations  relating  to  standardization  of
   international telecommunications services and facilities, including matters
   related  to  international  charging and accounting principles and the
   settlement of international telecommunications accounts.

   ^1 At the ITU Additional Plenipotentiary Conference in Geneva (December,
   1992), the structure, working methods and construct of the basic ITU treaty
   instrument were modified. The result is that the names of the sub-entities
   of the ITU have changed (e.g., the CCITT has become the Telecommunication
   Standardization Sector—ITU-T and Recognized Private Operating Agency has
   become  Recognized Operating Agency-ROA). The changes were placed into
   provisional effect on March 1, 1993 with the formal entry into force of
   these changes being July 1, 1994. We will refer to the new nomenclatures
   within these rules, wherever practicable.

   Such  recommendations  are,  effectively,  the detailed implementation
   provisions for topics addressed in the International Telecommunication
   Regulations (ITR).

   (g)  Certification.  Approval  by  the FCC to operate as an accounting
   authority. Synonymous with “authorization”.

   (h) Coast Earth Station. An earth station in the fixed-satellite service or,
   in  some cases, in the maritime mobile-satellite service, located at a
   specified fixed point on land to provide a feeder link for the maritime
   mobile-satellite service.

   (i) Coast Station. A land station in the maritime mobile service.

   (j) Commission. The Federal Communications Commission. The FCC.

   (k) Gold Franc. A monetary unit representing the value of a particular
   nation's currency to a gold par value. One of the monetary units used to
   effect  accounting settlements in the maritime mobile and the maritime
   mobile-satellite services.

   (l) International Telecommunication Union (ITU). One of the United Nations
   family organizations headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland along with several
   other United Nations (UN) family organizations. The ITU is the UN agency
   responsible for all matters related to international telecommunications. The
   ITU has over 180 Member Countries, including the United States, and provides
   an  international  forum for dealing with all aspects of international
   telecommunications,  including  radio,  telecom  services  and telecom
   facilities.

   (m) Linking Coefficient. The ITU mandated conversion factor used to convert
   gold francs to Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). Among other things, it is used
   to perform accounting settlements in the maritime mobile and the maritime
   mobile-satellite services.

   (n) Maritime Mobile Service. A mobile service between coast stations and
   ship stations, or between ship stations, or between associated on-board
   communication stations. Survival craft stations and emergency position-
   indicating radiobeacon stations may also participate in this service.

   (o) Maritime Mobile-Satellite Service. A mobile-satellite service in which
   mobile earth stations are located on board ships. Survival craft stations
   and emergency position-indicating radiobeacon stations may also participate
   in this radio service.

   (p) Public Correspondence. Any telecommunication which the offices and
   stations must, by reason of their being at the disposal of the public,
   accept  for  transmission. This usually applies to maritime mobile and
   maritime mobile-satellite stations.

   (q) Recognized Operating Agencies (ROAs). ^2 Individuals, companies or
   corporations,  other  than  governments  or  agencies,  recognized  by
   administrations, which operate telecommunications installations or provide
   telecommunications services intended for international use or which are
   capable of causing interference to international telecommunications. ROAs
   which settle debtor accounts for public correspondence in the maritime
   mobile and maritime mobile-satellite radio services must be certified as
   accounting authorities.

   ^2 Id.

   (r) Ship Station. A mobile station in the maritime mobile service located on
   board a vessel which is not permanently moored, other than a survival craft
   station.

   (s)  Special Drawing Right (SDR). A monetary unit of the International
   Monetary Fund (IMF) currently based on a market basket of exchange rates for
   the United States, West Germany, Great Britain, France and Japan but is
   subject  to IMF's definition. One of the monetary units used to effect
   accounting settlements in the maritime mobile and maritime mobile-satellite
   services.

   (t) United States. The continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, the Commonwealth of
   Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands or any territory or possession of the United
   States.

Eligibility