47 C.F.R. § 25.115 Application for earth station authorizations.
Title 47 - Telecommunication
(a)(1) Transmitting earth stations. Commission authorization must be obtained for authority to 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 §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. (iii) The earth station is not an ESV. (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 §25.130. (4) Applications for earth station authorizations must be filed in accordance with the pleading limitations, periods and other applicable provisions of §§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 FCC Form 312, Main Form and Schedule B, and conform to the provisions of §25.131. (c)(1) Large Networks of Small Antennas operating in the 11.7–12.2 GHz and 14.0–14.5 GHz frequency bands with U.S.-licensed or non-U.S.-licensed satellites for domestic or international services. Applications to license small antenna network systems operating in the 11.7–12.2 GHz and 14.0–14.5 GHz frequency band under blanket operating authority shall be filed on FCC Form 312 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 §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 §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 §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 §1.924 of this chapter; and (6) The filed application is consistent with the proposal that was coordinated pursuant to §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 §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 §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 §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 §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; 70 FR 4783, Jan. 31, 2005; 70 FR 32253, June 2, 2005]
Title 47: Telecommunication
PART 25—SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
Subpart B—Applications and Licenses
General Application Filing Requirements
§ 25.115 Application for earth station authorizations.
