[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR25.115]

[Page 272-274]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
                    CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
                         COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 25--SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS--Table of Contents
 
                  Subpart B--Applications and Licenses
 
Sec. 25.115  Application for earth station authorizations.

    (a) Transmitting earth stations. Except as provided under 
Sec. 25.113(b), Commission authorization must be obtained for authority 
to construct and/or operate a transmitting earth station. Applications 
shall be filed on FCC Form 312, Main Form and Schedule B, and include 
the information specified in Sec. 25.130.
    (b) Receive-only earth stations. Applications to license or register 
receive only earth stations shall be filed on FCC Form 312, Main Form 
and Schedule B, and conform to the provisions of Sec. 25.131.
    (c)(1) Large Networks of Small Antennas operating in the 12/14 GHz 
frequency bands with U.S.-licensed or non-U.S. licensed satellites for 
domestic services. Applications to license small antenna network systems 
operating in the 12/14 GHz frequency band under blanket operating 
authority shall be filed on FCC Form 312, Main Form and Schedule B, for 
each large (5 meters or larger) hub station, and Schedule B for each 
representative type of small antenna (less than 5 meters) operating 
within the network.
    (c)(2) Large Networks of Small Antennas operating in the 4/6 GHz 
frequency bands with U.S.-licensed or non-U.S. licensed satellites for 
domestic services (CSATs). Applications to license small antenna network 
systems operating in the standard C-Band, 3700-4200 MHz and 5925-6425 
MHz frequency band shall be filed electronically on FCC Form 312, Main 
Form and Schedule B.
    (i) An initial lead application providing a detailed overview of the 
complete network shall be filed. Such lead applications shall fully 
identify the scope and nature of the service to be provided, as well as 
the complete technical details of each representative type of small 
antenna (less than 4.5 meters) that will operate within the network. 
Such lead applications for a single CSAT system must identify:
    (A) No more than three discrete geostationary satellites to be 
accessed;
    (B) The amount of frequency bandwidth sought, up to a maximum of 20 
MHz of spectrum in each direction at each of the satellites (The same 20 
MHz of uplink and 20 MHz of downlink spectrum at each satellite would be 
accessible by all CSAT earth stations in the system. The 20 MHz of 
uplink and 20 MHz of downlink spectrum need not be the same at each 
satellite location);

[[Page 273]]

    (C) The maximum number of earth station sites;
    (ii) Following the issuance of a license for the lead application, 
the licensee shall notify the Commission of the complete technical 
parameters of each individual earth station site before that site is 
bought into operation under the lead authorization. Full frequency 
coordination of each individual site (e.g., for each satellite and the 
spectrum associated therewith) shall be completed prior to filing 
Commission notification. The coordination must be conducted in 
accordance with Sec. 25.203. Such notification shall be done by 
electronic filing and shall be consistent with the technical parameters 
of Schedule B of FCC Form 312.
    (iii) Following successful coordination of such an earth station, if 
the earth station operator does not file a lead application or a 
Schedule B within six months after it successfully completes 
coordination, it will be assumed that such frequency use is no longer 
desired, unless a second notification has been received within ten days 
prior to the end of the six month period. Such renewal notifications 
must be sent to all parties concerned. If the lead application or 
Schedule B, or renewal notification, is not timely received, the 
coordination will lapse and the licensee must re-coordinate the relevant 
earth stations if it still wishes to bring them into operation.
    (iv) Operation of each individual site may commence immediately 
after the public notice is released that identifies the notification 
sent to the Commission and if the requirements of paragraph (c)(2)(vi) 
of this section are met. Continuance of operation of each station for 
the duration of the lead license term shall be dependent upon successful 
completion of the normal public notice process. If any objections are 
received to the new station prior to the end of the 30 day comment 
period of the Public Notice, the licensee shall immediately cease 
operation of those particular stations until the coordination dispute is 
resolved and the CSAT licensee informs the Commission of the resolution. 
If the requirements of paragraph (c)(2)(vi) of this section are not met, 
operation may not commence until the Commission issues the public notice 
acting on the CSAT terminal authorization.
    (v) Each CSAT licensee shall annually provide the Commission an 
updated list of all operational earth stations in its system. The annual 
list shall also include a list of all earth stations deactivated during 
the year and identification of the satellites providing service to the 
network as of the date of the report.
    (vi) Conditional authorization. (A) An applicant for a new CSAT 
radio station or modification of an existing CSAT station authorized 
under paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section in the 3700-4200; or 5925-6425 
MHz bands may operate the proposed station during the pendency of its 
application after the release of the public notice accepting the 
notification for filing that complies with paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this 
section. The applicant, however, must first certify that the following 
conditions are satisfied:
    (1) The frequency coordination procedures of Sec. 25.203 have been 
successfully completed;
    (2) The antenna structure has been previously studied by the Federal 
Aviation Administration and determined to pose no hazard to aviation 
safety as required by subpart B of part 17 of this chapter; or the 
antenna or tower structure does not exceed 6.1 meters above ground level 
or above an existing man-made structure (other than an antenna 
structure), if the antenna or tower has not been previously studied by 
the Federal Aviation Administration and cleared by the FCC;
    (3) The grant of the application(s) does not require a waiver of the 
Commission's rules (with the exception of a request for waiver 
pertaining to fees);
    (4) The applicant has determined that the facility(ies) will not 
significantly affect the environment as defined in Sec. 1.1307 of this 
chapter;
    (5) The station site does not lie within 56.3 kilometers of any 
international border or within a radio ``Quiet Zone'' identified in 
Sec. 1.924 of this chapter; and
    (6) The filed application is consistent with the proposal that was 
coordinated pursuant to Sec. 25.251.
    (B) Conditional authority ceases immediately if the Schedule B is 
returned

[[Page 274]]

by the Commission because it is not accepted for filing.
    (C) A conditional authorization pursuant to paragraphs (c)(2)(vi)(A) 
and (c)(2)(vi)(B) of this section is evidenced by retaining a copy of 
the Schedule B notification with the station records. Conditional 
authorization does not prejudice any action the Commission may take on 
the subject application(s) or the Schedule B notifications.
    (D) Conditional authority is accepted with the express understanding 
that such authority may be modified or cancelled by the Commission at 
any time without hearing if, in the Commission's discretion, the need 
for such action arises. An applicant operating pursuant to this 
conditional authority assumes all risks associated with such operation, 
the termination or modification of the conditional authority, or the 
subsequent dismissal or denial of its application(s).
    (E) The copy of the Schedule B notification form must be posted at 
each station operating pursuant to this section.
    (vii) Period of construction. Construction of each earth station 
must be completed and the station must be brought into regular operation 
within twelve months from the date that action is taken to authorize 
that station to operate under the lead authorization, except as may be 
otherwise determined by the Commission for any particular application.
    (d) User transceivers in the NVNG, 1.6/2.4 GHz Mobile-Satellite 
Service, and 2 GHz Mobile-Satellite Service need not be individually 
licensed. Service vendors may file blanket applications for transceivers 
units using FCC Form 312, Main Form and Schedule B, and specifying the 
number of units to be covered by the blanket license. Each application 
for a blanket license under this section shall include the information 
described in Sec. 25.136.
    (e) Earth stations operating in the 20/30 GHz Fixed-Satellite 
Service with U.S.-licensed or non-U.S. licensed satellites: Applications 
to license individual earth stations operating in the 20/30 GHz band 
shall be filed on FCC Form 312, Main Form and Schedule B, and shall also 
include the information described in Sec. 25.138. Earth stations 
belonging to a network operating in the 18.3-18.8 GHz, 19.7-20.2 GHz, 
28.35-28.6 GHz or 29.25-30.0 GHz bands may be licensed on a blanket 
basis. Applications for such blanket authorization may be filed using 
FCC Form 312, Main Form and Schedule B, and specifying the number of 
terminals to be covered by the blanket license. Each application for a 
blanket license under this section shall include the information 
described in Sec. 25.138.
    (f) User transceivers in the non-geostationary satellite orbit 
fixed-satellite service in the 11.7-12.2 GHz, 12.2-12.7 GHz and 14.0-
14.5 GHz bands need not be individually licensed. Service vendors may 
file blanket applications for transceiver units using FCC Form 312, Main 
Form and Schedule B, and shall specify the number of terminals to be 
covered by the blanket license. Each application for a blanket license 
under this section shall include the information described in 
Sec. 25.146. Any earth stations that are not user transceivers, and 
which transmit in the non-geostationary satellite orbit fixed-satellite 
service in the 10.7-11.7 GHz, 12.75-13.15 GHz, 13.2125-13.25 GHz, and 
13.75-14.0 GHz bands must be individually licensed, pursuant to 
paragraph (a) of this section.

[62 FR 5928, Feb. 10, 1997, as amended at 62 FR 64172, Dec. 4, 1997; 65 
FR 54169, Sept. 7, 2000; 65 FR 59142, Oct. 4, 2000; 66 FR 31559, June 
12, 2001; 67 FR 53510, Aug. 16, 2002; 68 FR 16966, Apr. 8, 2003]