[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 86 (Monday, May 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26469-26470]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-09496]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[GN Docket No. 18-122, DA 20-457; FRS 16710]


Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Seeks Comment on Preliminary 
Cost Category Schedule For 3.7-4.2 GHz Band Relocation Expenses

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice; solicitation of comments.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau 
(Bureau) invites interested parties to comment on the 3.7 GHz 
Transition Preliminary Cost Category Schedule of Potential Expenses and 
Estimated Costs (Cost Catalog). The Cost Catalog contains preliminary 
categories and estimates of expenses that incumbents may incur as they 
clear FSS operations from the 3.7-4.0 GHz portion of the band and Fixed 
Service operations from the entire 3.7-4.2 GHz band (C-band) to make 
the lower 280 megahertz available for flexible use. In Expanding 
Flexible Use of the 3.7 to 4.2 GHz Band Report and Order, GN Docket No. 
18-122, Report and Order and Order of Proposed Modification, FCC 20-22 
(Mar. 3, 2020) (Order), the Commission established that new 3.7 GHz 
Service licensees will reimburse reasonable relocation costs of 
incumbents to transition out of the band and directed the Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) to establish a cost category 
schedule of the types of expenses that incumbents may incur.

DATES: Comments are due on or before May 12, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by GN Docket No. 18-122, 
by any of the following methods:
    [ssquf] Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 
using the internet by accessing the ECFS: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/.
    [ssquf] Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file 
an original and one copy of each filing.
    [ssquf] Filings can be sent by commercial overnight courier, or by 
first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be 
addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary, 
Federal Communications Commission.
    [ssquf] Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, 
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.U.S.
    [ssquf] Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must 
be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington DC 20554.
    [ssquf] Effective March 19, 2020, and until further notice, the 
Commission no longer accepts any hand or messenger delivered filings. 
This is a temporary measure taken to help protect the health and safety 
of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19. See FCC 
Announces Closure of FCC Headquarters Open Window and Change in Hand-
Delivery Policy, Public Notice, DA 20-304 (March 19, 2020). https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-closes-headquarters-open-window-and-changes-hand-delivery-policy.
    [ssquf] During the time the Commission's building is closed to the 
general public and until further notice, if more than one docket or 
rulemaking number appears in the caption of a proceeding, paper filers 
need not submit two additional copies for each additional docket or 
rulemaking number; an original and one copy are sufficient.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susannah Larson, Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-1883 or via email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Public Notice, 
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Seeks Comment on Preliminary Cost 
Category Schedule For 3.7-4.2 GHz Band Relocation Expenses, GN Docket 
No. 18-122, DA 20-457 (Public Notice), released on April 27, 2020. The 
Public Notice includes the following attachment: Attachment, 3.7 GHz 
Transition Preliminary Cost Category Schedule of Potential Expenses and 
Estimated Costs. The complete text of the Public Notice, including its 
attachment, is available on the Commission's website at https://www.fcc.gov/document/wtb-seeks-comment-37-ghz-band-preliminary-cost-category or by using the search function for GN Docket No. 18-122 on 
the Commission's ECFS web page at www.fcc.gov/ecfs.
    Pursuant to Sec. Sec.  1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 
47 CFR 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments on or before 
the date indicated on the first page of this document.
    People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible 
formats for

[[Page 26470]]

people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio 
format), send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer & 
Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 
(tty).
    Ex Parte Rules: This proceeding shall be treated as a ``permit-but-
disclose'' proceeding in accordance with the Commission's ex parte 
rules. Persons making ex parte presentations must file a copy of any 
written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral presentation 
within two business days after the presentation (unless a different 
deadline applicable to the Sunshine period applies). Persons making 
oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the 
presentation must: (1) list all persons attending or otherwise 
participating in the meeting at which the ex parte presentation was 
made; and (2) summarize all data presented and arguments made during 
the presentation. If the presentation consisted in whole or in part of 
the presentation of data or arguments already reflected in the 
presenters written comments, memoranda, or other filings in the 
proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such data or 
arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other filings 
(specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where such data 
or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the 
memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex 
parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must 
be filed consistent with Sec.  1.1206(b) of the Commission's rules. In 
proceedings governed by Sec.  1.49(f) of the rules or for which the 
Commission has made available a method of electronic filing, written ex 
parte presentations and memoranda summarizing oral ex parte 
presentations, and all attachments thereto, must be filed through the 
electronic comment filing system available for that proceeding, and 
must be filed in their native format (e.g., .doc, .xml., .ppt, 
searchable .pdf). Participants in this proceeding should familiarize 
themselves with the Commission's ex parte rules.

Synopsis

    In the Order (85 FR 22804 (April 23, 2020)), the Commission adopted 
rules to make 280 megahertz of mid-band spectrum available for flexible 
use, plus a 20 megahertz guard band throughout the contiguous United 
States by transitioning existing services out of the lower portion and 
into the upper 200 megahertz of the C-band. The Order established that 
new 3.7 GHz Service licensees will reimburse the reasonable relocation 
costs of eligible Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) space station 
operators, incumbent FSS earth station operators, and incumbent Fixed 
Service licensees (collectively, incumbents) to transition out of the 
band. To provide incumbents and new 3.7 GHz Service licensees with a 
range of reasonable transition costs, the Order directed the Bureau to 
establish a cost category schedule of the types of expenses that 
incumbents may incur. The Order provided for the creation of a 
Relocation Payment Clearinghouse to oversee the cost-related aspects of 
the transition, including by collecting relocation payments from 
overlay licensees and disbursing those payments to incumbents. In 
determining the reasonableness of costs for which incumbents seek 
reimbursement, the Order directed that the Relocation Payment 
Clearinghouse shall presume as reasonable all submissions that fall 
within the estimated range of costs in the final cost category 
schedule.
    The Cost Catalog (included as an attachment to the Public Notice) 
contains categories and estimates of expenses that incumbents may incur 
as they clear FSS operations from the 3.7-4.0 GHz portion of the band 
and Fixed Service operations from the entire C-band to make the lower 
280 megahertz available for flexible use. The Commission engaged a 
third-party contractor, RKF Engineering Solutions, LLC (RKF), to assist 
in identifying costs that incumbents might incur and to assist with the 
development of a cost category schedule. To compile the information 
needed for the preliminary Cost Catalog, RKF considered the Order's 
initial relocation cost estimates, derived from comments and filings in 
the record, and conducted confidential interviews with a broad range of 
stakeholders, including satellite operators, earth station operators, 
Fixed Service licensees, and vendors. With this input from RKF, and in 
accordance with the Commission's directions, the Bureau has developed 
this Cost Catalog.
    The Bureau seeks comment on the Cost Catalog, including whether the 
preliminary categories and estimated expenses for each are reasonable. 
Although the Cost Catalog represents an initial summary of estimated 
expenses that eligible incumbents may incur, the Bureau encourages 
commenters to identify any additional expense categories that they 
believe should be eligible for reimbursement and prices that should be 
associated with those categories. Does the Cost Catalog cover every 
situation? If not, what are additional situations that the Bureau 
should consider? For both the initial summary set out in the Cost 
Catalog and for any additions to the Cost Catalog that commenters may 
suggest, the Bureau is interested in obtaining information on specific 
prices, as well as more general information on the costs that 
incumbents expect to incur.
    The Cost Catalog also contains preliminary categories of the 
various classes of earth stations that may choose to receive a lump sum 
payment in place of their actual reasonable relocation costs. The Order 
established that incumbent earth station operators may either accept 
(1) reimbursement for their actual reasonable relocation costs by 
maintaining satellite reception; or (2) a lump sum reimbursement 
``based on the average, estimated costs of relocating all of their 
incumbent earth stations'' to the upper 200 megahertz of the C-band. 
The Bureau seeks comment on the preliminary categories provided in the 
Cost Catalog and whether they cover the relevant classes of earth 
stations. If not, what are additional relevant classes of earth 
stations that the Bureau should consider including? The Bureau also 
seeks comment on the appropriate lump sum amounts for each category, 
which will be based on the average estimated costs of relocation for 
that class of earth station. What are the specific costs and prices 
that should be included in the lump sum amount for each class of earth 
station? The Bureau will determine the final lump sum amounts according 
to the final estimated earth station transition costs in the final Cost 
Catalog. Consistent with the Order, the Bureau will publish the final 
lump sum amounts and provide instructions for making such an election, 
after considering the record compiled on the foregoing issues.

Amy Brett,
Associate Chief, Competition and Infrastructure Policy Division, 
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2020-09496 Filed 5-1-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P