International Bureau Launches New Procedures

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

International Bureau Launches New Procedures

November 21, 1994.

By the Chief, International Bureau:

Effective upon publication in the Federal Register, the

Intenrational Bureau will follow several new procedures to improve the

Bureau's efficiency and the public's access to information. These

procedures are the following:

The Bureau will process unopposed routine international

Section 214 applications from applicants that have complied with

Sec. 63.01 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 63.01, within 30 days of

the end of the thirty-day Public Notice comment period. This procedure

will not affect the processing of certain international resale

applications under Sec. 63.12 of the Commission's rules.

The Bureau will increase the number of Public Notices from

one to two per week for Section 214 applications filed with the

Telecommunications Division. Public Notices will be released on

Tuesdays and Fridays.

The Bureau will approve Section 214 pro forma Transfers of

Control and Assignments from applicants that have complied with

Sec. 63.01 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 63.01 through a Grant

Stamp procedure, under which applications that have been found to be in

the public interest, convenience and necessity will be stamped

``Granted.'' The stamp will also provide lines on which staff will sign

and note the grant date. Applicants will be notificed by Bureau staff

that their applications have been granted and be forwarded a copy of

the stamped application.

The Bureau will approve Special Temporary Authorization

requests for international and domestic earth station use from

applicants that have complied with Secs. 25.119 and 25.110(d) of the

Commission's rules, 47 CFR 25.119, 25.110(d), through a Grant Stamp

procedure, under which applications that have been found to be in the

public interest, convenience and necessity will be stamped ``Granted.''

The stamp will also provide lines on which staff will sign and note the

grant date and date of the STA's expiration. Applicants will be

notified by Bureau staff that their applications have been granted and

be forwarded a copy of the stamped application. Applicants may apply

for international and domestic earth station use in the same STA

application.

STAs granted under the Grant Stamp procedure are subject to the

same terms and conditions as currently exist. For information purposes,

these terms and conditions are:

(a) No harmful interference shall be caused to any other lawfully

operated radio station, and operation shall cease immediately upon

notification of interference;

(b) This authorization is subject to change in any of its terms or

to cancellation in its entirety at any time upon reasonable notice but

without hearing, if in the opinion of the Commission circumstances

should so require;

(c) Operation of the earth station is limited to those C-band (4/6

GHz) frequencies that have been successfully coordinated for this

facility or to the Ku-band (11/ 12/14 GHz) frequencies, as specified in

the STA request;

(d) All antenna structures shall be marked and lighted in

accordance with FCC and FAA requirements, if necessary;

(e) The grant of this temporary authorization for domestic earth

stations is not to be construed in any way as approval for the regular

use of these earth station facilities for domestic satellite

communications; nor, is the grant of this temporary authorization for

international earth stations to be construed in any way as approval for

the use of these earth station facilities in any foreign country;

(f) Should be underlying application for regular authority for

these stations be dismissed or denied, this temporary authority will

automatically expire; and

(g) Further, should an extension of this temporary authority be

sought, the appropriate filing fee will be required to accompany the

request for extension, as set forth in 47 CFR part 1, subpart G.

The Bureau will (1) ask applicants within three months of

filing (consistent with the ex parte rules) for any additional

information needed to process Section 214 applications; and (2) call a

status conference of all parties if the Bureau has not acted on an

application within six months of filing.

The Bureau will (1) institute a new Public Notice format

for Section 214 applications that will contain headings and descriptive

information identifying the nature of the applications; (2) issue a

revised version of the Fact Sheet on International Section 214

Applications; and (3) place International Bureau releases, including

press releases, public notices and Bureau authorizations, on the

Internet at ftp.fcc.gov in the ``pub'' directory and ``international''

file. For user systems requiring a log-in and password to access the

Internet, the log-in is ``anonymous'' and the password is the user's e-

mail address.

Federal Communications Commission.

LaVera F. Marshall,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 94-29254 Filed 11-28-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712-01-M