§ 25.131 - Filing requirements and registration for receive-only earth stations.

§ 25.131 Filing requirements and registration for receive-only earth stations.

(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (j) of this section, applications for licenses for receive-only earth stations shall be submitted on FCC Form 312, Main Form and Schedule B, accompanied by any required exhibits and the information described in § 25.130(a)(1) through (a)(5). Such 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 in the FSS that operate with U.S.-licensed space stations, or with non-U.S.-licensed space stations that have been duly approved for U.S. market access, may be registered with the Commission in order to protect them from interference from terrestrial microwave stations in bands shared co-equally with the Fixed Service in accordance with the procedures of §§ 25.203 and 25.251, subject to the stricture in § 25.209(c).

(c) Licensing or registration of receive-only earth stations with the Commission confers no authority to receive and use signals or programming received from satellites. See section 705 of the Communications Act. 47 U.S.C. 605.

(d) Applications for registration must be filed on FCC Form 312, Main Form and Schedule B, accompanied by the coordination exhibit required by § 25.203 and any other required exhibits.

(e) Complete applications for registration will be placed on public notice for 30 days and automatically granted if no objection is submitted to the Commission and served on the applicant. Additional pleadings are authorized in accordance with § 1.45 of this chapter.

(f) The registration of a receive-only earth station results in the listing of an authorized frequency band at the location specified in the registration. Interference protection levels are those agreed to during coordination.

(g) Reception of signals or programming from non-U.S. satellites may be subject to restrictions as a result of international agreements or treaties. The Commission will maintain public information on the status of any such agreements.

(h) Registration term: Registrations for receive-only earth stations governed by this section will be issued for a period of 15 years from the date on which the application was filed. Applications for renewals of registrations must be submitted on FCC Form 312R (Application for Renewal of Radio Station License in Specified Services) no earlier than 90 days and no later than 30 days before the expiration date of the registration.

(i) Applications for modification of license or registration of receive-only earth stations shall be made in conformance with §§ 25.117 and 25.118. In addition, registrants are required to notify the Commission when a receive-only earth station is no longer operational or when it has not been used to provide any service during any 6-month period.

(j)

(1) Except as set forth in paragraph (j)(2) of this section, receive-only earth stations operating with non-U.S. licensed space stations shall file an FCC Form 312 requesting a license or modification to operate such station.

(2) Operators of receive-only earth stations need not apply for a license to receive transmissions from non-U.S.-licensed space stations that have been duly approved for U.S. market access, provided the space station operator and earth station operator comply with all applicable rules in this chapter and with applicable conditions in the Permitted Space Station List or market-access grant.

[56 FR 24016, May 28, 1991, as amended at 61 FR 9952, Mar. 12, 1996; 62 FR 5929, Feb. 10, 1997; 62 FR 64172, Dec. 4, 1997; 65 FR 58466, Sept. 29, 2000; 67 FR 12485, Mar. 19, 2002; 68 FR 62249, Nov. 3, 2003; 68 FR 63999, Nov. 12, 2003; 69 FR 29901, May 26, 2004; 69 FR 47795, Aug. 6, 2004; 70 FR 32253, June 2, 2005; 78 FR 8421, Feb. 6, 2013; 79 FR 8318, Feb. 12, 2014; 81 FR 55330, Aug. 18, 2016]