[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 6, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 8905]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5186]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 2 and 25

[ET Docket No. 96-20, RM-8638; FCC 96-55]


Fixed-Satellite Service

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: By this Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM), the Commission 
proposes to allocate the 13.75-14.0 GHz band to the Fixed-Satellite 
Service (``FSS'') on a co-primary basis for Earth-to-space (``uplink'') 
transmissions. Adoption of this proposal would accommodate growing 
demand for FSS services and would provide satellite operators with 
increased flexibility in the design of their systems.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 1, 1996 and reply 
comments must be submitted on or before April 16, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments and reply comments should be sent to Office of the 
Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Mooring, Office of Engineering and 
Technology, (202) 418-2450.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's NPRM 
in ET Docket No. 96-20, adopted on February 13, 1996, and released on 
February 23, 1996. The complete NPRM is available for inspection and 
copying during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center (Room 
239), 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., and also may be purchased 
from the Commission's duplication contractor, International 
Transcription Service, (202) 857-3800, 2100 M Street, N.W., Suite 140, 
Washington D.C. 20037.

Summary of NPRM

    1. The Commission proposes to amend Part 2 of its rules to allocate 
the 13.75-14.0 GHz frequency band to the FSS on a co-primary basis for 
uplink transmissions and to make conforming revisions to the associated 
service rules in Part 25. The FSS is a radiocommunication service 
between earth stations at a specified fixed point or any fixed point 
within specified areas and one or more satellites. In some cases this 
service includes satellite-to-satellite links, which may also be 
operated in the inter-satellite service. The FSS may also include 
feeder links for other space radiocommunication services. In addition, 
the Commission proposes to adopt domestically the international 
footnotes that specify the spectrum sharing criteria between incumbent 
services and the FSS as contained in the United States Proposals for 
the 1995 World Radiocommunication Conference (``WRC-95''). The 
Commission notes that WRC-95 has recently concluded and that it adopted 
most of the United States' proposals. The Commission is reviewing the 
decisions made at WRC-95 and will consider the international footnotes 
adopted for the 13.75-14.0 GHz band later in this proceeding. The 
Commission also proposes to adopt a United States footnote that would 
require that all FSS applications requesting the use of any frequency 
in the 13.75-13.8 GHz band segment be coordinated in order to minimize 
harmful interference to the Federal Government's Tracking and Data 
Relay Satellite System. This action would be consistent with the 
international allocation for this band made at the 1992 World 
Administrative Radio Conference, and would provide incumbent operations 
in this band with adequate interference protection from FSS uplinks.

List of Subjects

47 CFR Part 2

    Radio.

47 CFR Part 25

    Radio, Satellites.

Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-5186 Filed 3-5-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P