[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 47, Volume 2]

[Revised as of October 1, 2004]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 47CFR25.115]



[Page 273-276]

 

                       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)(1) 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 electronically on FCC Form 312, Main Form and Schedule B, 

and include the information specified in Sec. 25.130, except as set 

forth in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.

    (2) Applicants for licenses for transmitting earth station 

facilities are required to file on Form 312EZ, to the extent that form 

is available, in the following cases:

    (i) The earth station will transmit in the 3700-4200 MHz and 5925-

6425 MHz band, and/or the 11.7-12.2 GHz and 14.0-14.5 GHz band; and

    (ii) The earth station will meet all the applicable technical 

specifications set forth in part 25 of this chapter.

    (3) If Form 312EZ is not available, earth station license applicants 

specified in paragraph (a)(2) must file on FCC Form 312, Main Form and 

Schedule B, and include the information specified in Sec. 25.130.

    (4) Applications for earth station authorizations must be filed in 

accordance with the pleading limitations, periods and other applicable 

provisions of Sec. Sec. 1.41 through 1.52 of this chapter, except that 

such earth station applications must be filed electronically through the 

International Bureau Filing System (IBFS) in accordance with the 

applicable provisions of part 1, subpart Y of this chapter;

    (b) Receive-only earth stations. Applications to license or register 

receive only earth stations shall be filed on



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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);

    (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



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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 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



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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; 68 FR 

63998, Nov. 12, 2003; 69 FR 29901, May 26, 2004; 69 FR 47794, Aug. 6, 

2004]