[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 144 (Thursday, July 26, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 35454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15969]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 25

[GN Docket Nos. 17-183, 18-122; DA 18-639]


Notice of 90-Day Filing Window Extension for Earth Stations 
Currently Operating in the 3.7-4.2 GHz Band; Filing Options for 
Operators With Multiple Earth Station Antennas

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the International Bureau (Bureau) announces 
a 90-day extension to the filing window for fixed-satellite service 
(FSS) earth stations currently operating in the 3.7-4.2 GHz frequency 
band announced in the Public Notice (Freeze PN), DA 18-398. The Bureau 
also clarifies that applications to register multiple FSS antennas 
operating in this band that are located at the same address or 
geographic location may be filed in the International Bureau Filing 
System (IBFS) by using a single registration form and paying a single 
fee. Finally, the Bureau announces the availability of an additional 
option to facilitate the registration of large numbers of 
geographically diverse earth stations by filing an application for a 
single ``network'' license and paying a single fee in IBFS.

DATES: 90-day extension of filing window closes October 17, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by GN Docket Nos. 17-183 
and 18-122, by any of the following methods:
     Federal Communications Commission's Website: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs//. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request 
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language 
interpreters, CART, etc.) by email: [email protected] or phone: 202-418-
0530 or TTY: 888-835-5322.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Bair, 202-418-0945 or Paul 
Blais, 202-418-7274.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's 
document, DA 18-639, released June 21, 2018. The full text of this 
document is available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-18-639A1.pdf. 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).
    Background. On April 19, 2018, the International, Public Safety and 
Homeland Security, and Wireless Telecommunications Bureaus issued 
Public Notice DA 18-398 announcing a temporary freeze effective April 
19, 2018, on the filing of new or modification applications for FSS 
earth station licenses, FSS receive-only earth station registrations, 
and fixed microwave licenses in the 3.7-4.2 GHz frequency band. As a 
limited exception to the filing freeze, the International Bureau 
concurrently opened a 90-day window during which entities that operated 
existing FSS earth stations in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band could voluntarily 
file an application to register or license their earth stations if they 
were not currently registered or licensed in the IBFS, or could file an 
application to modify a current registration or license. The Bureau 
also waived the coordination report requirement for the duration of the 
freeze.
    90-Day Extension of Application Filing Window. The International 
Bureau now extends the original 90-day filing window announced in the 
Freeze PN for an additional 90 days, until October 17, 2018, in order 
to provide operators with more time to file applications, should they 
choose to do so. This action does not impact the cut-off date for 
operations eligible for the exception, i.e., only earth stations 
constructed and operational as of April 19, 2018 are eligible for 
filing during this window.
    Filing Option for Operators with Multiple Co-Located Earth Station 
Antennas. The Bureau clarifies that operators with multiple receive-
only antennas at a single geographic location or address may apply to 
register these antennas under a single earth station application and 
pay a single application fee, which is currently $435 (fee code CMO).
    Filing Option for Operators with Geographically Diverse Earth 
Stations. The Bureau announces that it is waiving certain sections of 
the Commission's rules to permit operators of multiple geographically 
diverse receive-only earth stations to register those stations under 
Sec.  25.115(c)(2) of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 25.115(c)(2), 
which permits applications for ``Networks of earth station operating in 
the 3700-4200 MHz and 5925-6425 MHz bands.'' Specifically, the Bureau 
waives the portions of Sec.  25.115(c)(2) that are inapplicable to 
receive-only stations or are unnecessary as a result of the Freeze PN. 
The following procedures apply to applicants seeking to utilize the 
Sec.  25.115(c)(2) process for registration of receive-only earth 
stations during the filing window: Applicants must complete a ``Lead 
Application'' on Form 312, Main Form and Schedule B; Schedule B should 
include a site ID for each geographic location where the applicant has 
receive-only earth stations and should provide the technical details 
required by the Form for each antenna at each site; the coordination 
report required by Sec.  25.115(c)(2) is waived as described in DA 18-
398; the requirements of paragraphs (i) and (v) of Sec.  25.115(c)(2) 
are waived for networks of receive-only earth stations; pursuant to DA 
18-398, only earth stations constructed and operational as of April 19, 
2018 may file during the window, so the one-year construction period of 
Sec.  25.115(c)(2)(vii) is inapplicable.
    Fees. Applicants filing as a network of earth stations under Sec.  
25.115(c)(2) as described above must pay the fee for a ``Fixed 
Satellite VSAT System,'' which is currently $10,620 (fee code BGV). 
Networks of receive-only earth stations are not subject to regulatory 
fees.
    This document does not contain proposed information collection 
requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 
104-13. In addition, therefore, it does not contain any proposed 
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).

Federal Communications Commission.
Troy Tanner,
Deputy Chief, International Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2018-15969 Filed 7-25-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P