[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51263-51264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20302]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 25

[FCC 14-109]


Extension of the Consummation Deadline for Space and Earth 
Station License Transfers and Assignments

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document amends the Commission's rules to extend the time 
by which parties must consummate an approved satellite space station or 
earth station license assignment or transfer of control from 60 to 180 
days. This will provide parties greater flexibility to set closing 
dates, decrease the need to file extension of time requests, and 
harmonize this consummation deadline with that in other wireless 
services.

DATES: Effective August 28, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Clay DeCell, 202-418-0803.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Order, 
FCC 14-109, adopted July 31, 2014, and released August 1, 2014. The 
full text of the Order is available for download at https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/. It is also available for inspection 
and copying during business hours in the FCC Reference Information 
Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 
20554. To request materials in accessible formats for people with 
disabilities, send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer & 
Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 
(TTY).

Synopsis of the Order

    By this Order, we amend Sec.  25.119(f) of the Commission's rules 
to extend the time by which parties must consummate an approved 
satellite space station or earth station license assignment or transfer 
of control from 60 to 180 days. This amendment is part of the 
Commission's process reform initiative and will provide parties greater 
flexibility to set closing dates, decrease the need to file extension 
of time requests, and harmonize this consummation deadline with that in 
other wireless services. Because this amendment involves a rule of 
agency procedure, general notice and an opportunity to comment are not 
required. 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A).
    Section 25.119(f) of the Commission's rules requires space station 
and earth station licensees to consummate an assignment or transfer of 
control within 60 days from the date of authorization. 47 CFR 
25.119(f). This period is shorter than the 180-day consummation period 
for wireless licenses, which are often involved in the same transaction 
with satellite licenses. See 47 CFR 1.948(d). Moreover, many space 
station and earth station licensees seek Commission approval well in 
advance of closing a transaction, and may need more than 60 days to 
consummate after Commission authorization. This can result in the 
filing of requests to extend the consummation deadline, and these 
requests have been granted.
    To address this issue, a staff working group recommended, under 
Recommendation 5.30 of its Process Reform Report, extending the 60-day 
consummation period to 180 days. We find that it is in the public 
interest to adopt this recommendation. The amendment will remove 
unnecessary administrative burdens by eliminating the filing of such 
extension of time requests. A 180-day deadline may also facilitate 
transactions involving a company holding licenses in multiple services.
    We hereby modify Sec.  25.119(f) of our rules consistent with 
Recommendation 5.30. Accordingly, parties to an approved license 
transfer or assignment will be required to consummate the transaction 
within 180 days from the date of authorization, instead of within 60 
days.
    Accordingly, it is ordered that, pursuant to sections 4(i) and 4(j) 
of the Communications Act, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), (j), and 
section 553(b)(A) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), 5 U.S.C. 
553(b)(A), Sec.  25.119(f) of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 25.119(f), 
is amended as described above.
    It is further ordered that this Order is effective upon publication 
in the Federal Register, pursuant to section 553(d)(1) of the APA, 5 
U.S.C. 553(d)(1). As a result, the new rule will apply to all transfers 
and assignments that are pending or have been approved, but not 
consummated, at the time of, and after, Federal Register publication.

Procedural Matters

    This action does not require notice and comment, and therefore is 
not subject to the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended. See 
5 U.S.C. 601(2), 603(a).
    This document does not contain new or modified information 
collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
Public Law 104-13. In addition, therefore, it does not contain any new 
or modified information collection burden for small business concerns 
with fewer than 25 employees, pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork 
Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4).
    The Commission will not send a copy of this Order pursuant to the 
Congressional Review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A), because the 
amended rule is a rule of agency organization, procedure, or practice 
that does not ``substantially affect the rights or obligations of non-
agency parties.''

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 25

    Administrative practice and procedure.

Federal Communications Commission.

Gloria J. Miles,
Federal Register Liaison.
    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Federal Communications 
Commission amends 47 CFR part 25 as follows:

[[Page 51264]]

PART 25--SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

0
1. The authority citation for part 25 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority:  Interprets or applies sections 4, 301, 302, 303, 
307, 309, 310, 319, 332, 705, and 721 of the Communications Act, as 
amended, 47 U.S.C. 154, 301, 302, 303, 307, 309, 310, 319, 332, 605, 
and 721, unless otherwise noted.


0
2. In Sec.  25.119 revise the first sentence of paragraph (f) to read 
as follows:


Sec.  25.119  Assignment or transfer of control of station 
authorization.

* * * * *
    (f) Assignments and transfers of control shall be completed within 
180 days from the date of authorization. * * *
* * * * *

[FR Doc. 2014-20302 Filed 8-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P