Basic Exchange Telephone Radio Service

BETRS is a fixed radio service where a multiplexed, digital radio link is used as the last segment of the local loop to provide wireless telephone service to subscribers in remote areas. BETRS technology was developed in the mid 1980's and allows up to four subscribers to use a single radio channel pair, simultaneously, without interfering with one another.

This service may operate in the paired 152/158 and 454/459 MHz bands and on 10 channel blocks in the 816-820/861-865 MHz bands. BETRS may be licensed only to state certified carriers in the area where the service is provided and is considered a part of the public switched telephone network by state regulators.

Regulation of this service currently resides in Part 1 and Part 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Subtitle 47, on Telecommunications and may be researched or ordered through the Government Printing Office.

Forms 601, 602, 603, and 159 are required for this service. For forms and fee information, see Forms & Fees.

The Commission's rules for BETRS, 47 CFR 22, in the 152/158 and 454/459 MHz bands, have been amended by the following actions since the October 1, 1996 edition:

NTIA Special Publication 95-33 - Survey of Rural Information Infrastructure Technologies has additional information regarding rural telephone provision at http://www.its.bldrdoc.gov/its/spectrum/rural.