[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 239 (Thursday, December 14, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 58759-58761]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-26943]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 25

[IB Docket No. 13-213; FCC 16-181]


Terrestrial Use of the 2473-2495 MHz Bands for Low-Power Mobile 
Broadband Networks; Amendments to Rules for the Ancillary Terrestrial 
Component of Mobile Satellite Service Systems

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

[[Page 58760]]


ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, 
the information collection associated with the Commission's Terrestrial 
Use of the 2473-2495 MHz bands for Low-Power Mobile Broadband Networks; 
Amendments to Rules for the Ancillary Terrestrial Component of Mobile 
Satellite Service Systems Report and Order's (Order) modified rules for 
the operation of an Ancillary Terrestrial Component. This document is 
consistent with the Order, which stated that the Commission would 
publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective 
date of those rules.

DATES: The amendments to 47 CFR 25.149 published at 82 FR 8814, January 
31, 2017, are effective December 14, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen Duall, Satellite Division, 
International Bureau, at 202-418-1103 or via email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that, on June 28, 
2017, OMB approved, for a period of three years, the information 
collection requirements relating to the access stimulation rules 
contained in the Commission's Order, FCC 16-181, published at 82 FR 
8814, January 31, 2017. The OMB Control Number is 3060-0994. The 
Commission publishes this document as an announcement of the effective 
date of the rules. If you have any comments on the burden estimates 
listed below, or how the Commission can improve the collections and 
reduce any burdens caused thereby, please contact Cathy Williams, 
Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-C823, 445 12th Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20554. Please include the OMB Control Number, 3060-0298, 
in your correspondence. The Commission will also accept your comments 
via email at [email protected].
    To request materials in accessible formats for people with 
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), 
send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer and Governmental 
Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

SYNOPSIS

    As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3507), the FCC is notifying the public that it received final OMB 
approval on June 28, 2017, for the information collection requirements 
contained in the modifications to the Commission's rules in 47 CFR part 
25.
    Under 5 CFR part 1320, an agency may not conduct or sponsor a 
collection of information unless it displays a current, valid OMB 
Control Number.
    No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply 
with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
that does not display a current, valid OMB Control Number. The OMB 
Control Number is 3060-0994.
    The foregoing notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Public Law 104-13, October 1, 1995, and 44 U.S.C. 3507.
    The total annual reporting burdens and costs for the respondents 
are as follows:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0994.
    OMB Approval Date: June 28, 2017.
    OMB Expiration Date: June 30, 2020.
    Title: Flexibility for Delivery of Communications by Mobile 
Satellite Service Providers in the 2 GHz Band, the L Band, and the 1.6/
2.4 GHz Band.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 126 respondents; 126 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: Between 0.5-50 hours.
    Frequency of Response: One-time, annual, and on-occasion reporting 
requirements, third party disclosure and recordkeeping requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 
sections 4(i), 7, 302, 303(c), 303(e), 303(f) and 303(r) of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 157, 302, 
303(c), 303(e), 303(f) and 303(r).
    Total Annual Burden: 520 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $530,340.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: An assurance of 
confidentiality is not offered because this information collection does 
not require the collection of personally identifiable information (PII) 
from individuals.
    Privacy Act: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: On December 23, 2016, the Commission released a 
Report and Order in IB Docket No. 13-213, FCC 16-181, titled 
``Terrestrial Use of the 2473-2495 MHz Band for Low-Power Mobile 
Broadband Networks; Amendments to Rules for the Ancillary Terrestrial 
Component of Mobile Satellite Service Systems.'' The revisions to 47 
CFR part 25 adopted in the Report and Order remove a portion of the 
information collection requirements as it relates to a newly proposed 
low power broadband network, as described in document FCC 16-181. These 
revisions enable ATC licensees to operate low-power ATC using licensed 
spectrum in the 2483.5-2495 MHz band. Although the original low-power 
ATC proposal described the use of the adjacent 2473-2483.5 MHz band, 
low-power terrestrial operations at 2473-2483.5 MHz were not authorized 
by the Report and Order. The revisions provide an exception for low-
power ATC from the requirements contained in Sec.  25.149(b) of the 
Commission's rules, which require detailed showings concerning 
satellite system coverage and replacement satellites. The revisions 
also provide an exception from a rule requiring integrated service, 
which generally requires that service handsets be capable of 
communication with both satellites and terrestrial base stations. 
Accordingly, the provider of low-power ATC would be relieved from 
certain burdens that are currently in place in the existing information 
collection. To qualify for authority to deploy a low-power terrestrial 
network in the 2483.5-2495 MHz band, an ATC licensee would need to 
certify that it will utilize a Network Operating System to manage its 
terrestrial low-power network. Although the Report and Order also 
created new technical requirements for equipment designed to 
communicate with a low-power ATC network, satisfaction of these 
technical requirements relieves ATC licensees from meeting other 
technical requirements that apply to ATC systems generally. We also had 
a revision to this information collection to reflect the elimination of 
the elements of this information collection for 2 GHz MSS. See 78 FR 
48621-22.
    The purposes of the existing information collection are to obtain 
information necessary for licensing operators of Mobile-Satellite 
Service (MSS) networks to provide ancillary services in the U.S. via 
terrestrial base stations (Ancillary Terrestrial Components, or ATCs); 
obtain the legal and technical information required to facilitate the 
integration of ATCs into MSS networks in the L-Band and the 1.6/2.4 GHz 
Bands; and to ensure that ATC licensees meet the Commission's legal and 
technical requirements to develop and maintain their MSS networks and 
operate their ATC systems without causing harmful interference to other 
radio systems.


[[Page 58761]]


Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-26943 Filed 12-13-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P