Market Boundary Files
Since the inception of the Cellular Market Areas in 1982,
the Federal Communication Commission has been assigning area based radio licenses.
A common trait among all of these licensing areas is that every area is an aggregation
of county-equivalent entities as defined in Federal Information Processing Standards
Publication 6-4, 1990 August 31.
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Cellular Market Areas (zip)
The Cellular Market Areas (CMAs) were created from the 1980 Metropolitan
Statistical Areas (MSAs) defined by the Office of Management and Budget
(1-305), the Gulf of Mexico (306), and Rural Service Areas (RSAs) established
by the FCC which do not cross state borders (307-734). These RSAs include
Puerto Rico (723-729), U.S. Virgin Islands (730-731), Guam (732), American
Samoa (733), and Northern Mariana Islands (734).
Service:
Cellular Radiotelephone Service - 47 CFR § 22.909 (824-894 MHz: Blocks A-B)
Interactive Video and Data Service (IVDS) - 47 CFR § 95.803 (Segments: A (218.0-218.5 MHz) and B (218.5-219.0 MHz))
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Basic Trading Areas (zip)
The Basic Trading Areas (BTAs) are based on the Rand McNally 1992 Commercial Atlas & Marketing Guide, 123rd Edition, at pages
38-39, with the following additions: American Samoa (492), Guam (490), Northern Mariana Islands (493), San Juan, Puerto Rico
(488), Mayaguez/Aguadilla-Ponce, Puerto Rico (489), and the United States Virgin Islands (491).
Service:
Multipoint Distribution Service (MDS) - 47 CFR § 21.924 (2150-2162, 2596-2680 MHz: Channels 1, 2(2A), E1-E4, F1-F4, H1-H3)
Narrowband PCS - 47 CFR § 24.102 (901-902, 930-931 MHz: Channels 25-26)
Broadband PCS - 47 CFR § 24.202 (1850-1990 MHz: Blocks C-F)
Local Multipoint Distribution Service (LMDS) - 47 CFR § 101.1007 (27.5-31.3 GHz: Blocks A-B)
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Major Trading Areas (zip)
The Major Trading Areas (MTAs) are based on the Rand McNally 1992 Commercial
Atlas & Marketing Guide, 123rd Edition, at pages 38-39, with the following
exceptions and additions:
- Alaska (49) is separated from the Seattle MTA and is to be licensed
separately.
- Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (50) are to be licensed as a
single MTA-like area.
- Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands (25) are to be licensed
as a single MTA-like area.
- American Samoa (51) is to be licensed as a single MTA-like area.
Service:
Narrowband PCS - 47 CFR § 24.102 (901-902, 930-931 MHz, 940-941 MHz: Channels 18-24)
Broadband PCS - 47 CFR § 24.202 (1850-1990 MHz: Blocks A-B)
Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) 900 MHz - 47 CFR § 90.661 (896-901/935-940 MHz: Channel Blocks A-T)
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Regional PCS Areas (zip)
The Regional Narrowband PCS service areas, which were created by Commission
staff, are an aggregation of MTAs into 5 regions.
Service:
Narrowband PCS - 47 CFR § 24.102 (901-902, 930-931 MHz, 940-941 MHz: Channels 12-17)
Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) 800 MHz - 47 CFR § 90.903 (806-821/851-866 MHz: Spectrum Blocks D-V)
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Economic Areas (zip)
The Economic Area service areas are based on the Economic Areas delineated
by the Regional Economic Analysis Division, Bureau of Economic Analysis,
U.S. Department of Commerce February 1995 (1-172), with the following
additions: Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (173), Puerto Rico and
the U.S. Virgin Islands (174), and American Samoa (175). The Commission
has also designated the Gulf of Mexico (176) as an additional Economic
Area. However, the Location and Monitoring Service (LMS) is currently
the only service which implements the Gulf of Mexico (176) as a separate
license area.
Service:
General Wireless Communications Service (GWCS) - 47 CFR § 26.102 (4660-4685 MHz: Channel Blocks A-E)
Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) 800 MHz - 47 CFR § 90.681 & 90.903 (806-821/851-866 MHz: Spectrum Blocks A-C)
220 MHz - 47 CFR § 90.761 (220-222 MHz: Channel Assignments A-E)
Location and Monitoring Service (LMS) - 47 CFR § 90.7 (3 Spectrum Blocks (1) 904.000-909.750 MHz and 927.750-928.000 MHz;
(2) 919.750-921.750 MHz and 927.500-927.750 MHz; and (3) 921.750-927.250 MHz and 927.250-927.500 MHz)
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Major Economic Areas (zip)
The Major Economic Areas which were created by Commission staff are an
aggregation of BEAs into 52 regions, including the Gulf of Mexico (52).
Service:
Wireless Communications Service (WCS) - 47 CFR § 27.6
Paired Channel Blocks A (2305-2310/2350-2355 MHz) and B (2310-2315/2355-2360 MHz)
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Regional Economic Areas (zip)
The Economic Area service areas are based on the Economic Areas delineated
by the Regional Economic Analysis Division, Bureau of Economic Analysis,
U.S. Department of Commerce February 1995 (1-172), with the following
additions: Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (173), Puerto Rico and
the U.S. Virgin Islands (174), and American Samoa (175). The Commission
has also designated the Gulf of Mexico (176) as an additional Economic
Area. However, the Location and Monitoring Service (LMS) is currently
the only service which implements the Gulf of Mexico (176) as a separate
license area.
Service:
Wireless Communications Service (WCS) - 47 CFR § 27.6
Unpaired Channel Blocks A (2315-2320 MHz) and B (2345-2350 MHz)
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Economic Area Groupings (zip)
The Economic Area Groupings also know as Regional Economic Area Groupings
for 220 MHz which were created by Commission staff are an aggregation
of BEAs into 6 regions excluding the Gulf of Mexico.
Service:
220 MHz - 47 CFR § 90.761 (220-222 MHz: Channel Assignments F-J)
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VHF Public Coast Station Areas (zip)
The VHF Public Coast Station Areas (VPCs) which were created by Commission
staff are an aggregation of BEAs into 42 areas, including the Gulf of Mexico
(4).
VPCs 1-9 are called Maritime VPCs and VPCs 10-42 are called Inland Areas.
The Maritime VPCs are an aggregation of one or more BEAs and the Inland
Areas are defined as exactly one BEA.
Service:
VHF Public Coast Stations 47 CFR § 80.371(c)(1)(B)
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Public Safety Planning Regions (zip)
The Public Safety Planning Regions were established in the National Public
Safety Planning Advisory Committee (NPSPAC) Proceeding in 1987 [see General
Docket No. 87-112, Memorandum Opinion and Order, FCC 88-132, 3 FCC Rcd 2113
(1988), 53 FR 11849 (04/11/88)].
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Nationwide Area (html)
The 50 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Northern
Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands, (NWA255)
Service:
Narrowband PCS - 47 CFR § 24.102 (901-902, 930-931 MHz, 940-941 MHz: Channels 1-11)
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1990 US County-equivalents (for reference only) (zip)
Included in this file are only those county-equivalent areas that the FCC
licenses on a regional basis. These areas include, in addition to the 50
States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the
Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. The Gulf
of Mexico is also included as a county-equivalent-like area.
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1990 US State-equivalents (for reference only) (zip)
Included in this file are only those state-equivalent areas that the FCC
licenses on a regional basis. These areas include, in addition to the 50
States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the
Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands.
Notes:
- The Commission uses the county-equivalent areas
as defined in Federal
Information Processing Standards Publication 6-4, 1990 August 31. However,
since 1990, three county-equivalent entities have changed. Denali Borough
was established as a new borough in Alaska on December 28, 1990. Yakutat Borough,
county-equivalent entity, was established by the State of Alaska effective
September 22, 1992. The independent city (county-equivalent) of South Boston,
Virginia, reverted to town status, effective midnight, June 30, 1995. South
Boston is an incorporated place within Halifax County, rather than a separate
county-equivalent surrounded by Halifax County.
- The above County List data is delineated by 1990
counties as defined in FIPS Pub 6-4.
- The county names and mapping data above were created
from 1990 Census data obtained from
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/index.html
- Basic Trading Areas (BTAs) and Major Trading Areas
(MTAs) are Based on Material Copyrighted © 1992 Rand McNally & Company.
- Rights granted pursuant to a license from Rand
McNally & Company (through an arrangement with the Personal Communications
Industry Association) to all interested parties for use solely in connection
with the licensing, building, marketing, and operation of personal communications
services, certain specialized mobile radio services and local multipoint
distribution services.
- Rights granted pursuant to a license from Rand
McNally & Company (through an arrangement with the American Mobile
Telecommunications Association) to all interested parties for use solely
in connection with the licensing, building, marketing, and operation of
900 MHz specialized mobile radio services.
- Rights granted pursuant to a license from Rand
McNally & Company (through an arrangement with the Wireless Cable
Association International, Inc.) to all interested parties for use solely
in connection with the licensing, building, marketing, and operation of
Multipoint Distribution Service and Instructional Television Fixed Service
facilities.