[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 21, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 79110-79112]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32465]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 25
[IB Docket No. 06-123; FCC 11-93]
Service Rules and Policies for the Broadcasting Satellite Service
(BSS)
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.
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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years,
the information collection associated with the Commission's Service
Rules and Policies for the Broadcasting Satellite Service (BSS), Report
and Order (Second Report and Order). The information collection
requirements were approved on November 17, 2011 by OMB.
DATES: 47 CFR 25.114(d)(15)(iv), 25.114(d)(18), 25.264(a), (b), (c),
(d) and (f) are effective on March 15, 2012.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne Montgomery, Satellite Division,
International Bureau, at (202) 418-2229, or email:
[email protected] [email protected].>
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that, on November
17, 2011, OMB approved, for a period of three years, the information
collection requirements contained in 47 CFR 25.114(d)(15)(iv),
25.114(d)(18), 25.264(a), (b), (c), (d) and (f). The Commission
publishes this notice as an announcement of the effective date of the
rules. See, Service Rules and Policies for the Broadcasting Satellite
Service (BSS), IB Docket No. 06-123; FCC 11-93, published at 76 FR
50425, August 15, 2011. If you have any comments on the burden
estimates listed below, or how the Commission can improve the
collections and reduce any burdens caused thereby, please contact Cathy
Williams, Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-C823, 445 12th
Street SW., Washington, DC 20554. Please include the OMB Control
Number, 3060-1097, in your correspondence. The Commission will also
accept your comments via the Internet if you send them to
[email protected][email protected].>
To request materials in accessible formats for people with
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format),
send an email to [email protected][email protected] or
call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530
(voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).
Synopsis
As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
3507), the FCC is notifying the public that it received OMB approval on
November 17, 2011, for the information collection requirements
contained in the Commission's rules at 47 CFR 25.114(d)(15)(iv),
25.114(d)(18), 25.264(a), (b), (c), (d) and (f).
Under 5 CFR part 1320, an agency may not conduct or sponsor a
collection of information unless it displays a current, valid OMB
Control Number.
No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply
with a collection of information subject to the
[[Page 79111]]
Paperwork Reduction Act that does not display a current valid OMB
Control Number. The OMB Control Number is 3060-1097.
The foregoing notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995, Pub. L. 104-13, October 1, 1995, and 44 U.S.C. 3507.
The total annual reporting burdens and costs for the respondents
are as follows:
OMB Control Number: 3060-1097.
OMB Approval Date: November 17, 2011.
OMB Expiration Date: November 30, 2014.
Title: Service Rules and Policies for the Broadcasting Satellite
Service (BSS).
Type of Review: Revision of an existing collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
Number of Respondents: 8 respondents; 48 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours-36 hours.
Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The
Commission has statutory authority for the information collection
requirements under Sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), 7(a), 301, 303(c), 303(f),
303(g), 303(r), 303(y) and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as
amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 154(j), 157(a), 301, 303(c), 303(f),
303(g), 303(r), 303(y), and 308.
Total Annual Burden: 848 hours.
Total Annual Cost: $43,200.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need
for confidentiality pertaining to the information collection
requirements in this collection.
Needs and Uses: On June 14, 2011 the Commission released Second
Report and Order FCC 11-93, published at 76 FR 50245, August, 2011,
adopting final rules--containing information collection requirements--
for the 17/24 GHz (BSS) to mitigate space path interference between the
17/24 GHz BSS space-to-Earth transmissions and the feeder link
receiving antennas of Direct Broadcast Satellite Service (DBS) space
stations that operate in the same frequency band.
Below are the new information collection requirements contained in
the Second Report and Order:
47 CFR 25.114(d)(15)(iv)--Applicants filing for a space station
authorization must file the information required in Section 26.264(a)-
(b).
47 CFR 25.114(d)(18)--Applicants filing for a space station
authorization in the Direct Broadcast Satellite service or the 17/24
GHz broadcasting-satellite service, must provide maximum orbital
eccentricity calculations.
47 CFR 25.264(a)--Each applicant for a space station license in the
17/24 GHz broadcasting-satellite service (BSS) must provide a series of
tables or graphs with its application, that contain the predicted
transmitting antenna off-axis gain information for each transmitting
antenna in the 17.3-17.8 GHz frequency band. Using a Cartesian
coordinate system wherein the X-axis is defined as tangent to the
geostationary orbital arc with the positive direction pointing east,
i.e., in the direction of travel of the satellite; the Y-axis is
defined as parallel to a line passing through the geographic north and
south poles of the Earth, with the positive direction pointing south;
and the Z-axis is defined parallel to a line passing through the center
of the Earth, with the positive direction pointing toward the Earth,
the applicant must provide the predicted transmitting antenna off-axis
antenna gain information:
(1) In the X-Z plane, i.e., the plane of the geostationary orbit,
over a range of 30 Degrees from the positive and negative
X-axes in increments of 5 degrees or less.
(2) In planes rotated from the X-Z plane about the Z-axis, over a
range of up to 60 degrees relative to the equatorial
plane, in increments of 10 degrees or less.
(3) In both polarizations.
(4) At a minimum of three measurement frequencies determined with
respect to the entire portion of the 17.3-17.8 GHz frequency band over
which the space station is designed to transmit: 5 MHz above the lower
edge of the band; at the band center frequency; and 5 MHz below the
upper edge of the band.
(5) Over a greater angular measurement range, if necessary, to
account for any planned spacecraft orientation bias or change in
operating orientation relative to the reference coordinate system. The
applicant must also explain its reasons for doing so.
47 CFR 25.264(b)--Each applicant for a space station license in the
17/24 GHz BSS must provide power flux density (pfd) calculations with
its application that are based upon the predicted off-axis transmitting
antenna gain information submitted in accordance with paragraph (a) of
this section, as follows:
(1) The pfd calculations must be provided at the location of all
prior-filed U.S. DBS space stations where the applicant's pfd level
exceeds the coordination trigger of -117 dBW/m[FN2]/100 kHz in the
17.3-17.8 GHz band. In this rule, the term prior-filed U.S. DBS space
station refers to any Direct Broadcast Satellite service space station
application that was filed with the Commission (or authorization
granted by the Commission) prior to the filing of the 17/24 GHz BSS
application containing the predicted off-axis transmitting antenna gain
information. The term prior-filed U.S. DBS space station does not
include any applications (or authorizations) that have been denied,
dismissed, or are otherwise no longer valid. Prior-filed U.S. DBS space
stations may include foreign-licensed DBS space stations seeking
authority to serve the United States market, but do not include
foreign-licensed DBS space stations that have not filed applications
with the Commission for market access in the United States.
(2) The pfd calculations must take into account the maximum
longitudinal station-keeping tolerance, orbital inclination and orbital
eccentricity of both the 17/24 GHz BSS and DBS space stations, and
must:
(i) Identify each prior-filed U.S. DBS space station at whose
location the coordination threshold pfd level of -117 dBW/m[FN2]/100
kHz is exceeded; and
(ii) Demonstrate the extent to which the applicant's transmissions
in the 17.3-17.8 GHz band exceed the threshold pfd level of -117 dBW/
m[FN2]/100 kHz at those prior-filed U.S. DBS space station locations.
(3) If the calculated pfd level is in excess of the threshold level
of -117 dBW/m[FN2]/100 kHz at the location of any prior-filed U.S. DBS
space station, the applicant must also provide with its application
certification that all affected DBS operators acknowledge and do not
object to the applicants higher off-axis pfd levels. No such
certification is required in cases where the DBS and 17/24 GHz BSS
assigned operating frequencies do not overlap.
47 CFR 25.264(c)--No later than nine months prior to launch, each
17/24 GHz BSS space station applicant or authorization holder must
confirm the predicted transmitting antenna off-axis gain information
provided in accordance with Sec. 25.114(d)(15)(iv) by submitting
measured transmitting antenna off-axis gain information over the
angular ranges, measurement frequencies and polarizations described in
paragraphs (a)(1)-(5) of this section. The transmitting antenna off-
axis gain information should be measured under conditions as close to
flight configuration as possible.
[[Page 79112]]
47 CFR 25.264(d)--No later than nine months prior to launch, each
17/24 GHz BSS space station applicant or authorization holder must
provide pfd calculations based upon the measured transmitting antenna
off-axis gain information that is submitted in accordance with
paragraph (c) of this section as follows:
(1) The pfd calculations must be provided:
(i) At the location of all prior-filed U.S. DBS space stations as
defined in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, where the applicant's pfd
level in the 17.3-17.8 GHz band exceeds the coordination trigger of -
117 dBW/m[FN2]/100 kHz; and
(ii) At the location of any subsequently-filed DBS U.S. DBS space
station where the applicant's pfd level in the 17.3-17.8 GHz band
exceeds the coordination trigger of -117 dBW/m[FN2]/100 kHz. In this
rule, the term subsequently-filed U.S. DBS space station refers to any
Direct Broadcast Satellite service space station application that was
filed with the Commission (or authorization granted by the Commission)
after the 17/24 GHz BSS operator submitted the predicted data required
by paragraphs (a)-(b) of this section, but prior to the time the 17/24
GHz BSS operator submitted the measured data required in this
paragraph. Subsequently-filed U.S. DBS space stations may include
foreign-licensed DBS space stations seeking authority to serve the
United States market. The term does not include any applications (or
authorizations) that have been denied, dismissed, or are otherwise no
longer valid, nor does it include foreign-licensed DBS space stations
that have not filed applications with the Commission for market access
in the United States.
(2) The pfd calculations must take into account the maximum
longitudinal station-keeping tolerance, orbital inclination and orbital
eccentricity of both the 17/24 GHz BSS and DBS space stations, and
must:
(i) Identify each prior-filed U.S. DBS space station at whose
location the coordination threshold pfd level of -117 dBW/m[FN2]/100
kHz is exceeded; and
(ii) Demonstrate the extent to which the applicant's or licensee's
transmissions in the 17.3-17.8 GHz band exceed the threshold pfd level
of -117 dBW/m[FN2]/100 kHz at those prior-filed U.S. DBS space station
locations.
47 CFR 25.264(f)--The 17/24 GHz BSS applicant or licensee must
modify its license, or amend its application, as appropriate, based
upon new information:
(1) If the pfd levels submitted in accordance with paragraph (d) of
this section are in excess of those submitted in accordance with
paragraph (b) of this section at the location of any prior-filed or
subsequently-filed U.S. DBS space station as defined in paragraphs
(b)(1) and (d)(1) of this section, or
(2) If the 17/24 GHz BSS operator adjusts its operating parameters
in accordance with paragraphs (e)(1)(ii) or (e)(2)(ii) of this section.
OMB approved these information collection requirements on November
17, 2011.
Federal Communications Commission.
Bulah P. Wheeler,
Deputy Manager, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-32465 Filed 12-20-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P