Signal Booster Registration and Requirements

​​​​​​​Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Requirements

​All vendors and/or purchasers of BDAs (Bi-Directional Amplifiers), DAS (Distributed Antenna Systems) and other Signal Booster systems transceiving any 700 MHz radio frequency licensed to DoIT (State of Maryland Department of Information Technology) must adhere to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirements.​​​​

• Certain signal booster devices identified in 47 CFR § 90.219 must be registered with the FCC prior to installation and activation.
• If a device is already installed and activated, the owner must STILL apply for authorization from DoIT and must be registered with the FCC.
• Installing and activating an unregistered signal boosters is a violation of FCC rules and is subject to Enforcement Bureau action. Violators may be fined by the FCC.​

DoIT must grant its consent to activate a Signal Booster, as required by the FCC, and register their device in the federal Signal Booster registry.​

Steps for Registration

​DoIT does not grant its consent to operate a signal booster, as required by the FCC until the device has been registered with MD FiRST. Contact MD FiRST with questions mdfirsthelpdesk@maryland.gov​​.

​Follow these steps to register all BDA, DAS, and Signal Boosters that have been installed previously without the required consent of DoIT to come into compliance with FCC rules.

1. Complete and submit the DoIT 700MHz Signal Booster Retransmission Application. Diagrams and other information are required with this application and should be uploaded via the linked form or e-mailed to mdfirsthelpdesk@maryland.gov.
2. An engineering review by MD FiRST will follow after the application is complete and all required diagrams have been submitted.
3. An in-person or remote site review may be conducted by MD FiRST.
4. ​The process may include an Initial Approval followed by a Final Approval.
1. Initial approval occurs before the BDA, DAS, Signal Booster is activated. A Provisional Authorization Letter will be provided by DoIT and is good for 1 year from issuance date.
2. Final approval occurs after the BDA, DAS, Signal Booster has been activated and it is verified there is no interference with MD FiRST and a de-sense test is conducted. Coordination with the on-site BDA operator will be required for the de-sense test.
5. ​​Once final approval has occurred a Final Authorization Letter will be issued by DoIT and shall be displayed in a conspicuous area at the BDA Headend.​
   

Resources For Registration

• How to Register: ​​Submit an application to DoIT to rebroadcast Maryland FiRST 700 MHz signals.
• Why Register: Signal boosters using Maryland FiRST frequencies must be registered to comply with FCC rules.
• FCC Rules: Read the FCC rules for signal boosters, including operational, deployment, and licensing requirements.
• Maryland FiRST Radio Frequencies: Review a comprehensive list of licensed radio frequencies for the Maryland FiRST system,