47 C.F.R. § 25.142 Licensing provisions for the non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service.
Title 47 - Telecommunication
(a) Space station application requirements. (1) Each application for a space station system authorization in the non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service shall describe in detail the proposed non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite system, setting forth all pertinent technical and operational aspects of the system, and the technical and legal qualifications of the applicant. In particular, each application shall include the information specified in §25.114. Applicants must also file information demonstrating compliance with all requirements of this section, and showing, based on existing system information publicly available at the Commission at the time of filing, that they will not cause unacceptable interference to any non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service system authorized to construct or operate. (2) Applicants for a non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite must identify the power flux density produced at the Earth's surface by each space station of their system in the frequency bands 137–138 MHz and 400.15–401 MHz, to allow determination of whether coordination with terrestrial services is required under international footnotes 599A and 647B of §2.106 of the Commission's Rules. In addition, applicants must identify the measures they would employ to protect the radio astronomy service in the 150.05–153 MHz and 406.1–410 MHz bands from harmful interference from unwanted emissions. (3) Emission limitations. (i) Applicants in the non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service shall show that their space stations will not exceed the emission limitations of §25.202(f) (1), (2) and (3), as calculated for a fixed point on the Earth's surface in the plane of the space station's orbit, considering the worst-case frequency tolerance of all frequency determining components, and maximum positive and negative Doppler shift of both the uplink and downlink signals, taking into account the system design. (ii) Applicants in the non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service shall show that no signal received by their satellites from sources outside of their system shall be retransmitted with a power flux density level, in the worst 4 kHz, higher than the level described by the applicants in paragraph (a)(2) of this section. (4) [Reserved] (5) Replacement of space stations within the system license term. The licensee need not file separate applications to construct, launch and operate technically identical replacement satellites within the term of the system authorization. However, the licensee shall certify to the Commission, at least thirty days prior to launch of such replacement(s) that: (i) The licensee intends to launch a space station that is technically identical to those authorized in its system license, and (ii) Launch of this space station will not cause the licensee to exceed the total number of operating space stations authorized by the Commission. (b) Operating conditions. In order to ensure compatible operations with authorized users in the frequency bands to be utilized for operations in the non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service, non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service systems must operate in accordance with the conditions specified in this section. (1) Service limitation. Voice services may not be provided. (2) Coordination requirements with Federal government users. (i) The frequency bands allocated for use by the non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service are also authorized for use by agencies of the Federal government. The Federal use of frequencies in the non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service frequency bands is under the regulatory jurisdiction of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). (ii) The Commission will use its existing procedures for liaison with NTIA to reach agreement with respect to achieving compatible operations between Federal government users under the jurisdiction of NTIA and non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service systems (including user transceivers subject to blanket licensing under §25.115(d)) through the frequency assignment and coordination practices established by NTIA and the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC). In order to facilitate such frequency assignment and coordination, applicants shall provide the Commission with sufficient information to evaluate electromagnetic compatibility with the Federal government use of the spectrum, and any additional information requested by the Commission. As part of the coordination process, applicants shall show that they will not cause unacceptable interference to authorized Federal government users, based upon existing system information provided by the Government. The frequency assignment and coordination of the satellite system with Federal government users shall be completed prior to grant of construction authorization. (iii) The Commission shall also coordinate with NTIA/IRAC with regard to the frequencies to be shared by those earth stations of non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service systems that are not subject to blanket licensing under §25.115(d), and authorized Federal government stations in the fixed and mobile services, through the exchange of appropriate systems information. (3) Coordination among non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service systems. Applicants for authority to establish non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service systems are encouraged to coordinate their proposed frequency usage with existing permittees and licensees in the non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service whose facilities could be affected by the new proposal in terms of frequency interference or restricted system capacity. All affected applicants, permittees, and licensees shall, at the direction of the Commission, cooperate fully and make every reasonable effort to resolve technical problems and conflicts that may inhibit effective and efficient use of the radio spectrum; however, the permittee or licensee being coordinated with is not obligated to suggest changes or re-engineer an applicant's proposal in cases involving conflicts. (4) Safety and distress communications. Stations operating in the non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service that are used to comply with any statutory or regulatory equipment carriage requirements may also be subject to the provisions of sections 321(b) and 359 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Licensees are advised that these provisions give priority to radio communications or signals relating to ships in distress and prohibit a charge for the transmission of maritime distress calls and related traffic. (c) Reporting requirements. All operators of non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service systems shall, on June 30 of each year, file a report with the International Bureau and the Commission's Columbia Operations Center in Columbia, Maryland, containing the following information current as of May 31st of that year: (1) A listing of any non-scheduled space station outages for more than thirty minutes and the cause(s) of such outages; (2) A detailed description of the utilization made of the in-orbit satellite system. That description should identify the percentage of time that the system is actually used for domestic transmission, the amount of capacity (if any) sold but not in service, and the amount of unused system capacity; and (3) Identification of any space stations not available for service or otherwise not performing to specifications, the cause(s) of these difficulties, and the date any space station was taken out of service or the malfunction identified. (d) Prohibition of certain agreements. No license shall be granted to any applicant for a non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service system if that applicant, or any companies controlling or controlled by the applicant, shall acquire or enjoy any right, for the purpose of handling traffic to or from the United States, its territories or possessions, to construct or operate space segment or earth stations in the non-voice, non-geosynchronous mobile-satellite service, or to interchange traffic, which is denied to any other United States company by reason of any concession, contract, understanding, or working arrangement to which the licensee or any persons or companies controlling or controlled by the licensee are parties. (e) Spectrum priority. (1) The non-voice, non-geosynchronous mobile-satellite service system that is authorized in the second application processing round to operate in the 148–148.25 MHz, 148.75–148.855 MHz, 148.905–149.81 MHz and 150–150.05 MHz uplink frequency bands and the 400.505–400.5517 MHz, 400.5983–400.645 MHz, 137.025–137.175 MHz, 137.333–137.4125 MHz, 137.475–137.525 MHz, 137.595–137.645 MHz, 137.753–137.787 MHz and 137.825–138 MHz downlink frequency bands (the “System 2 licensee”) will have a first priority to apply for and use a limited amount of downlink spectrum duly allocated worldwide and domestically to the non-voice, non-geosynchronous mobile-satellite service by the ITU, at WRC–97 or a subsequent World Radiocommunication Conference, and by the Commission, respectively (the “Future Spectrum”). The System 2 licensee will be eligible to apply for and use the first 210 kHz of Future Spectrum plus spectrum sufficient to account for Doppler frequency shift in the Future Spectrum (the “Supplemental Spectrum”) to implement its non-voice, non-geosynchronous mobile-satellite service system. The System 2 licensee's application for and use of the Supplemental Spectrum is subject to the Commission's Rules and policies, such reasonable operating conditions as may be imposed by the Commission, and international spectrum coordination requirements. For so long as the System 2 licensee is permitted by the Government of France to operate in the 400.5517–400.5983 MHz band coordinated with the French system S80–1, the Supplemental Spectrum shall be reduced to an amount equivalent to 150 kHz of Future Spectrum plus spectrum sufficient to account for Doppler frequency shift in the Future Spectrum. (2) The System 2 licensee's priority to apply for and use the Supplemental Spectrum is conditioned on the System 2 licensee's compliance with the terms and conditions of its second processing round authorization, including, but not limited to, its system construction, launch and operation milestones, and any modifications thereto, and the Commission's Rules. The System 2 licensee's priority to apply for and use the Supplemental Spectrum shall automatically terminate upon the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) The System 2 licensee being permitted to operate in the Supplemental Spectrum; (ii) The expiration or revocation of the System 2 licensee's second processing round authorization; (iii) The discontinuance of use of the spectrum assigned to the System 2 licensee under its second processing round authorization; or (iv) The surrender of the System 2 licensee's second processing round authorization to the Commission. [58 FR 68060, Dec. 23, 1993, as amended at 62 FR 5930, Feb. 10, 1997; 62 FR 59295, Nov. 3, 1997; 68 FR 51504, Aug. 27, 2003]
Title 47: Telecommunication
PART 25—SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
Subpart B—Applications and Licenses
Space Stations
§ 25.142 Licensing provisions for the non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service.
