Today:  FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for April Open Meeting, FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Provide Broadband Services via Satellite   

FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for April Open Meeting

The FCC announced the tentative agenda for its April 17, 2018, Open Meeting.  The items are as follows:

• Protecting National Security Through FCC Programs: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to ensure that universal service support is not used to purchase equipment or services from companies posing a national security threat to the integrity of communications networks or the communications supply chain.
• Spectrum Frontiers Auctions Public Notice: A Public Notice that would seek comment on the procedures for the auctions of Upper Microwave Flexible Use Service licenses in the 28 GHz and 24 GHz bands.
• Streamlining Licensing Procedures for Small Satellites: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes a new, alternative application process designed for a class of satellites referred to as “small satellites.”
• Rural Call Completion: A Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that will adopt new measures, and seek comment on others, to better tackle the problem of call completion and ensure that calls are completed to all Americans—including those in rural America.
• Business Data Services for Model-Based Rate-of-Return Carriers:  A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to enable model-based rate-of-return carriers to elect incentive regulation for their lower-speed business data services offerings, and to remove ex ante pricing regulation for packet-based and higher-speed circuit-based offerings.
• Cable Channel Lineup Requirements: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing to eliminate the requirement that cable operators maintain a channel lineup at their local office and seeking comment on eliminating the requirement that certain cable operators make their channel lineup available via their online public inspection file.
• Rules Governing Ancillary/Supplementary Services:– A Report and Order that would revise Section 73.624(g) of its rules to reduce broadcaster reporting obligations relating to the provision of ancillary or supplementary services.

FCC Authorizes Broadband Services Via Satellite Constellation

The FCC approved an application by Space Exploration Holdings, doing business as SpaceX, to provide broadband services using satellite technology in the United States and around the world.  This is the first approval of a U.S.-licensed satellite constellation to provide broadband services using a new generation of low-Earth orbit satellite technologies.  SpaceX was authorized to construct, deploy, and operate a non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite system comprised of 4,425 satellites using frequencies in the Ka(20/30 GHz) and Ku (11/14 GHz) bands to provide global Internet connectivity.  The FCC’s order contains a number of conditions for Space X’s service relating to ITU coordination, power limits, avoidance of interference, orbital debris mitigation, future rulemakings, bond and milestone requirements, and other existing requirements in FCC rules and in footnotes to the Table of Frequency Allocations.  In addition:

• SpaceX must post a surety bond no later than April 30, 2018, and maintain it thereafter.  Failure to post and maintain a surety bond will render the grant null and void automatically, without further FCC action. 
• SpaceX must launch 50% of the maximum number of proposed space stations, place them in the assigned orbits, and operate them in accordance with the station authorization no later than March 29, 2024.
• SpaceX must launch the remaining space stations necessary to complete its authorized service constellation, place them in their assigned orbits, and operate each of them in accordance with the authorization no later than March 29, 2027.

Over the past year, the FCC has approved requests by OneWeb, Space Norway, and Telesat to access the United States market to provide broadband services using satellite technology.

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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s daily blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.

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