[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35310-35311]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12471]


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

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[GN Docket No. 18-122; DA 20-578; FRS 16821]


Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Announces Accelerated Clearing 
in the 3.7-4.2 GHz Band

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission announces that Eutelsat S.A. 
(Eutelsat), Intelsat US LLC (Intelsat), SES Americom Inc. (SES), Claro 
S.A. f/k/a Star One S.A. (Claro), and Telesat Canada (Telesat) have 
committed to clearing the 3.7-4.0 GHz band on the accelerated timeline 
described in the 3.7 GHz Report and Order. The Commission finds that 
each of the eligible operators filed an election that meets the 
criteria set forth in the Report and Order and the Public Notice 
released on May 11, 2020 detailing the process for making an 
accelerated relocation election and the commitments that eligible space 
station operators were required to make when filing an Accelerated 
Relocation Election. Additionally, each eligible operator has accepted 
the obligations and acknowledgments associated with accelerated 
clearing.

DATES: Space station operators that have elected to meet the 
Accelerated Relocation Deadlines must satisfy the Phase I Deadline by 
December 5, 2021, and the Phase II deadline by December 5, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anna Gentry of the Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-7769 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Public 
Notice in GN Docket No. 18-122, DA 20-578, released on June 1, 2020. 
The full text of this document is available for inspection and copying 
during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center, 445 12th 
Street SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554, or by downloading the 
text from the Commission's website at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-20-578A1.pdf. Alternative formats are available for 
people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio 
format), by sending an email to [email protected] or calling the Consumer 
and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-
0432 (TTY).

Synopsis

    In the Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) 
announces that Eutelsat S.A. (Eutelsat), Intelsat US LLC (Intelsat), 
SES Americom Inc. (SES), Claro S.A. f/k/a Star One S.A. (Claro), and 
Telesat Canada (Telesat) have committed to clear the 3.7-4.0 GHz band 
on the accelerated timeline described in the 3.7 GHz Report and Order. 
Together, these satellite operators have accepted, in aggregate, 
relocation payments that exceed the minimum threshold (80%) established 
by the Commission and, therefore, accelerated clearing of this band has 
been triggered.
    On March 3, 2020, the Commission released the 3.7 GHz Report and 
Order, which adopted new rules to make 280 megahertz of mid-band 
spectrum available for flexible use through a Commission-administered 
public auction of overlay licenses, 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 3.7-4.2 GHz band (C-band). The Report and Order required eligible 
space station operators committing to accelerated clearing to make 
their election by May 29, 2020 to provide potential bidders with 
adequate certainty regarding the clearing date and payment obligations 
associated with each license should they become overlay licensees. The 
Commission found that at least 80% of accelerated relocation payments 
must be accepted via Accelerated Relocation Elections in order for the 
Commission to accept elections and require overlay licensees to pay 
accelerated relocation payments.
    On May 11, 2020, WTB released a Public Notice detailing the process 
for making an accelerated relocation election and the commitments that 
eligible space station operators were required to make when filing an 
Accelerated Relocation Election. By

[[Page 35311]]

electing accelerated relocation, the eligible space station operators 
voluntarily commit to adhere to the requirements, policies, and 
procedures established by the Commission in the Report and Order. WTB 
prescribed the format for filing an accelerated relocation election.
    Each of the eligible operators filed an election that meets the 
criteria set forth in the Report and Order and the Public Notice. 
Additionally, each eligible operator has accepted the obligations and 
acknowledgements associated with accelerated clearing.

Federal Communications Commission.
Amy Brett,
Associate Division Chief, Competition and Infrastructure Policy 
Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2020-12471 Filed 6-8-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P