[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 13, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 56362-56363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23270]


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

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 63

[IB Docket No. 07-23; DA 11-1151]


Removal of Approved Non-U.S.-Licensed Space Stations From the 
Section 214 Exclusion List

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Interpretation.

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

SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission's 
(Commission's) International Bureau (Bureau) adopts its proposal to 
remove from the Section 214 Exclusion List those non-U.S.-licensed 
space stations that have been allowed to enter the U.S. market for 
satellite services pursuant to the procedures adopted in the DISCO II 
Order.

DATES: Effective September 13, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Balatan or Howard Griboff, 
Policy Division, International Bureau, (202) 418-1460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Bureau's Order, 
adopted and released on June 30, 2011 (DA 11-1151). The full text of 
this document is available for inspection and copying during normal 
business hours in the Commission Reference Center, 445 12th Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20554. The document is also available for download 
over the Internet at http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db0630/DA-11-1151A1.pdf. The complete text may also be 
purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, Best Copy and 
Printing, 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].

Summary of the Order

    On January 18, 2007, the Bureau released a Public Notice in IB 
Docket No. 07-23 (72 FR 9333-02, March 1, 2007), seeking comment on its 
proposal to further streamline the Section 214 authorization process by 
removing from the Section 214 Exclusion List those non-U.S.-licensed 
space stations that have been allowed to enter the U.S. market for 
satellite services pursuant to the procedures (DISCO II procedures) 
adopted in the DISCO II Order (62 FR 64167-01, December 4, 1997; as 
amended at 63 FR 6496-02, February 9, 1998). On June 30, 2011, the 
Bureau released this Order which adopts the proposal to remove from the 
Section 214

[[Page 56363]]

Exclusion List those non-U.S.-licensed space stations approved to serve 
the U.S. market pursuant to the DISCO II procedures. As part of this 
change, the Bureau will create a webpage that provides access to the 
space stations approved pursuant to the DISCO II procedures in one 
central location. Specifically, on the Bureau's web page, the Bureau 
plans to insert a link entitled Space Stations Approved for U.S. Market 
Access. Once users click on that link, they will be taken to a page 
with that same title that provides users a way to determine which space 
stations have been granted market access to the United States pursuant 
to the DISCO II procedures. The web page will include links to other 
lists already maintained for DISCO II purposes, such as the Permitted 
Space Station List and the I-SAT List, as well as entries for non-U.S.-
licensed space stations approved for U.S. market access through other 
procedural means. The Bureau expects that centralizing this information 
on a web page will facilitate access to such information by common 
carriers and should address Inmarsat's concern about burdening carriers 
with the need to review multiple Commission orders in order to 
determine whether they may access a particular space station. In 
addition, the non-U.S. space station operator must inform customers 
that communication with its space station is subject to the conditions 
and technical requirements specified in the document approving its 
entry into the U.S. market in addition to the technical requirements in 
the Commission's rules.

Ordering Clauses

    It is ordered that, pursuant to Section 4(i) of the Communications 
Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), and Section 0.261 of the 
Commission's rules, 47 CFR 0.261, this Order is adopted.
    It is further ordered that this Order shall be effective September 
13, 2011.
    Petitions for reconsideration under Section 1.106 of the 
Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.106, may be filed within 30 days from the 
date of public notice of this Order.

Federal Communications Commission.
Mindel De La Torre,
Chief, International Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2011-23270 Filed 9-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P