MEA and EA licensees may apply to partition their authorized geographic service area or disaggregate their authorized spectrum at any time following grant of their geographic area authorizations. Nationwide geographic area licensees may apply to partition their authorized geographic service area or disaggregate their authorized spectrum at any time as of August 23, 1999.

(a) Application required. Parties seeking approval for partitioning and/or disaggregation shall apply for partial assignment of a license pursuant to §1.948 of this chapter.

(b) Partitioning. In the case of partitioning, requests for authorization for partial assignment of a license must include, as attachments, a description of the partitioned service area and a calculation of the population of the partitioned service area and the authorized geographic service area. The partitioned service area shall be defined by 120 sets of geographic coordinates at points at every 3 degrees azimuth from a point within the partitioned service area along the partitioned service area boundary unless either an FCC-recognized service area is used (e.g., MEA or EA) or county lines are followed. The geographical coordinates must be specified in degrees, minutes, and seconds to the nearest second latitude and longitude, and must be based upon the 1983 North American Datum (NAD83). In the case where FCC-recognized service areas or county lines are used, applicants need only list the specific area(s) through use of FCC designations or county names that constitute the partitioned area.

(c) Disaggregation. Spectrum may be disaggregated in any amount.

(d) Combined partitioning and disaggregation. Licensees may apply for partial assignment of authorizations that propose combinations of partitioning and disaggregation.

(e) License term. The license term for a partitioned license area and for disaggregated spectrum shall be the remainder of the original licensee's license term as provided for in §1.955 of this chapter.

[64 FR 33784, June 24, 1999, as amended at 82 FR 41547, Sept. 1, 2017]