[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]


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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.

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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