47 CFR 90.179 – Shared use of radio stations
Licensees of radio stations authorized under this rule part may share the use of their facilities. A station is shared when persons not licensed for the station control the station for their own purposes pursuant to the licensee’s authorization. Shared use of a radio station may be either on a non-profit cost shared basis or on a for-profit private carrier basis. Shared use of an authorized station is subject to the following conditions and limitations:
(a) Persons may share a radio station only on frequencies for which they would be eligible for a separate authorization.
(b) The licensee of the shared radio station is responsible for assuring that the authorized facility is used only by persons and only for purposes consistent with the requirements of this rule part.
(c) Participants in the sharing arrangement may obtain a license for their own mobile units (including control points and/or control stations for control of the shared facility), or they may use mobile stations, and control stations or control points authorized to the licensee.
(d) If the licensee shares the land station on a non-profit, cost shared basis to the licensee, this shared use must be pursuant to a written agreement between the licensee and each participant which sets out (1) the method of operation, (2) the components of the system which are covered by the sharing arrangements, (3) the method by which costs are to be apportioned, and (4) acknowledgement that all shared transmitter use must be subject to the licensee’s control. These agreements must be kept as part of the station records.
(e) If the land station which is being shared is interconnected with the public switched telephone network, the provisions of § 90.477 et seq. apply.
(f) Above 800 MHz, shared use on a for-profit private carrier basis is permitted only by SMR, Private Carrier Paging, LMS, and DSRCS licensees. See subparts M, P, and S of this part.
(g) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, licensees authorized to operate radio systems on Public Safety Pool frequencies designated in § 90.20 may share their facilities with Federal Government entities on a non-profit, cost-shared basis. Such a sharing arrangement is subject to the provisions of paragraphs (b), (d), and (e) of this section, and § 2.103(c) of this chapter concerning operations in the 758-769 MHz and 788-799 MHz bands. State governments authorized to operate radio systems under § 90.529 may share the use of their systems (for public safety services not made commercially available to the public) with any entity that would be eligible for licensing under § 90.523 and Federal government entities.
(h) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, licensees authorized to operate radio systems on Industrial/Business Pool frequencies designated in § 90.35 may share their facilities with Public Safety Pool entities designated in § 90.20 and with Federal Government entities on a non-profit, cost-shared basis. Such a sharing arrangement is subject to the provisions of paragraphs (b), (d), and (e) of this section.
(i) The provisions of this section do not apply to licensees authorized to provide commercial mobile radio service under this part, including licensees authorized to use channels transferred or assigned pursuant to § 90.621(e)(2).
(j) On the Interoperability Channels in the 700 MHz Public Safety Band (See 90.531(b)(1)), hand-held and vehicular units operated by any licensee holding a license in the 700 MHz Public Safety Band or by any licensee for any public safety frequency pursuant to part 90 of the Commission’s rules may communicate with or through land stations without further authorization and without a sharing agreement.