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.
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    \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.

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    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.
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    \2\ Id.
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    (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