Sec. 90.665  Authorization, construction and implementation of MTA 
          licenses.

    (a) MTA licenses in the 896-901/935-940 MHz band will be issued for 
a term not to exceed ten years.
    (b) MTA licensees in the 896-901/935-940 MHz band will be permitted 
five years to construct their stations. This five-year period will 
commence with the issuance of the MTA-wide authorization and will apply 
to all of the licensee's stations within the MTA spectrum block, 
including any stations that may have been subject to an earlier 
construction deadline arising from a pre-existing authorization.
    (c) Each MTA licensee in the 896-901/935-940 MHz band must, three 
years from the date of license grant, construct and place into operation 
a sufficient number of base stations to provide coverage to at least 
one-third of the population of the MTA. Further, each MTA licensee must 
provide coverage to at least two-thirds of the population of the MTA 
five years from the date of license grant; or alternatively, demonstrate 
through a showing to the Commission that it is providing substantial 
service. The MTA licensee must meet the population coverage benchmarks 
regardless of the extent to which incumbent licensees are present within 
the MTA block.
    (d) MTA licensees who fail to meet the coverage requirements imposed 
at either the third or fifth years of their license term, or to make a 
convincing showing of substantial service, will forfeit the portion of 
the MTA license that exceeds licensed facilities constructed and 
operating on the date of the MTA license grant.
[ 60 FR 21991 , May 4, 1995, as amended at  60 FR 48918 , Sept. 21, 1995;  60 FR 61487 , Nov. 30, 1995]