[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 40 (Thursday, March 1, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9333-9335]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-3521]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[IB Docket No. 07-23; DA No. 07-100]
International Bureau Invites Comment on Proposal To Remove
Certain Non-U.S.-Licensed Satellites From Exclusion List for
International Section 214 Authorization Purposes
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The International Bureau invites comment on a proposal to
remove from the Section 214 Exclusion List those non-U.S.-licensed
satellites that have been allowed to enter the U.S. market for
satellite services pursuant to the procedures adopted in the DISCO II
Order. The International Bureau takes this action pursuant to its
delegated authority to maintain the Section 214 Exclusion List, as set
forth in the 1996 Streamlining Order.
[[Page 9334]]
DATES: Comments are due April 2, 2007 and reply comments are due April
16, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW., Room
TW-B204, Washington, DC 20554.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Jennifer Gorny Balatan or Howard Griboff,
Policy Division, International Bureau, (202) 418-1460.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In this Document, the International Bureau
invites comment on a proposal to remove from the Section 214 Exclusion
List those non-U.S.-licensed satellites that have been allowed to enter
the U.S. market for satellite services pursuant to the procedure
adopted in the DISCO II Order. This action is taken pursuant to the
International Bureau's authority to maintain the Section 214 Exclusion
List, which was delegated to the Bureau by the Commission in the 1996
Streamlining Order.
In the 1996 Streamlining Order, the Commission promulgated rules
for carriers to apply for and receive a global facilities-based Section
214 authorization, which allow carriers to provide international
services using any U.S.-licensed facilities, such as U.S.-licensed
satellites, without filing a separate Section 214 application for each
new facility. In that order, the Commission also established the
Section 214 Exclusion List, which identifies particular facilities and/
or particular countries that are not included in a global facilities-
based Section 214 authorization, and, therefore, require a separate
Section 214 authorization under Section 214 of the Communications Act,
as amended.
Initially, the Section 214 Exclusion List included all non-U.S.-
licensed satellites. In 1999, however, the Commission as a matter of
administrative convenience removed from the Section 214 Exclusion List
those non-U.S.-licensed satellites that were on the Permitted Space
Station List. The Permitted Space Station List includes all C- and Ku-
band fixed-satellite service (FSS) satellites with which U.S. earth
stations with routinely authorized technical parameters are permitted
to communicate without additional Commission action, provided that
those communications fall within the same technical parameters and
conditions established in the earth stations' original licenses.
The Commission established the Permitted Space Station List in the
DISCO II First Reconsideration Order to simplify the DISCO II process
for non-U.S.-licensed FSS satellites seeking to serve the U.S. market.
The administrative convenience provided by using the Permitted Space
Station List to determine which non-U.S.-licensed satellites would be
included in a global facilities-based Section 214 authorization is
limited, however, by the fact that the Permitted Space Station List
includes only C- and Ku-band FSS satellites. Non-U.S.-licensed
satellites that operate in other services such as MSS, or in other
frequency bands such as the L-, Ka-, or V-bands, would not be added to
the Permitted Space Station List, and, therefore, still require a
separate Section 214 authorization specifically permitting access to
those satellites.
In view of these limitations, the International Bureau proposes to
remove from the Section 214 Exclusion List any non-U.S.-licensed
satellites that have been allowed to provide service to the United
States under the DISCO II procedure. Under this proposal, the Permitted
Space Station List would no longer be used for international Section
214 authorization purposes, and the proposal's adoption would allow
service providers to access any authorized non-U.S.-licensed satellites
through a global facilities-based Section 214 authorization. Note that
only non-U.S.-licensed satellites that have been allowed to enter the
U.S. market pursuant to the DISCO II procedure, which includes the
public interest analysis, would qualify for removal from the Section
214 Exclusion List under this proposal.
Ex Parte Presentations. This is a permit-but-disclose proceeding.
Ex parte presentations are permitted, provided they are disclosed as
provided in Sec. Sec. 1.1202, 1.1203, and 1.1206(a) of the
Commission's Rules, 47 CFR 1.1202, 1.1203, and 1.1206(a).
Comments. Interested parties may file comments on or before 30 days
after publication in the Federal Register, and reply comments on or
before 45 days after publication in the Federal Register. All filings
concerning matters referenced in the Public Notice should refer to DA
07-100 and IB Docket No. 07-23. Comments may be filed using: (1) The
Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), (2) the Federal
Government's eRulemaking Portal, or (3) by filing paper copies. See
Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121
(1998).
Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the
Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ or the
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Filers should
follow the instructions provided on the Web site for submitting
comments.
For ECFS filers, filers must transmit one electronic copy of the
comments for the docket number referenced in the caption. In completing
the transmittal screen, filers should include their full name, U.S.
Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket number.
Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-mail. To
get filing instructions, filers should send an e-mail to [email protected],
and include the following words in the body of the message, ``get
form.'' A sample form and directions will be sent in response.
Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an
original and four copies of each filing.
Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial
overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service
mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U.S.
Postal Service mail). All filings must be addressed to the Commission's
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
The Commission's contractor will receive hand-delivered or
messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission's Secretary at 236
Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Suite 110, Washington, DC 20002. The filing
hours at this location are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. All hand deliveries must be
held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be
disposed of before entering the building.
Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express
Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive,
Capitol Heights, MD 20743. U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express,
and Priority mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW.,
Washington DC 20554.
One copy of each pleading must be delivered electronically, by e-
mail or facsimile, or if delivered as a paper copy, by hand or
messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class
or overnight U.S. Postal Service (according to the procedures set forth
above for paper filings), to the Commission's duplicating contractor,
Best Copy and Printing, Inc., at http://www.bcpiweb.com or (202) 488-
5563 (facsimile).
Copies of comments, reply comments, and ex partes in this matter
may be obtained from Best Copy and Printing, Inc., in person at 445
12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, via telephone at
(202) 488-5300, via facsimile at (202) 488-5563, or via e-mail at
[email protected]. The comments, reply comments and ex partes are also
available for public
[[Page 9335]]
inspection and copying during normal reference room hours at the
following Commission office: FCC Reference Information Center, 445 12th
Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. These documents are
also available electronically through the Commission's ECFS, which may
be accessed on the Commission's Internet Web site at http://www.fcc.gov.
People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request materials in
accessible formats (braille, large print, electronic files, audio
format, etc.) by e-mail at [email protected] or call the Consumer &
Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432
(TTY).
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-3521 Filed 2-28-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P