Geographic Information Systems

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.

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).

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Basic Trading 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).

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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:

1. Alaska (49) is separated from the Seattle MTA and is to be licensed separately.
2. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (50) are to be licensed as a single MTA-like area.
3. Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands (25) are to be licensed as a single MTA-like area.
4. American Samoa (51) is to be licensed as a single MTA-like area.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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)].

Nationwide Area (html)

The 50 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands, (NWA255)

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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.

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:

1. 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.
2. The above County List data is delineated by 1990 counties as defined in FIPS Pub 6-4.
3. The county names and mapping data above were created from 1990 Census data obtained from http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/index.html
4. 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.

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Last reviewed/updated on

10/24/2005.