§ 101.1440 - MVDDS protection of DBS.

§ 101.1440 MVDDS protection of DBS.

(a) An MVDDS licensee shall not begin operation unless it can ensure that the EPFD from its transmitting antenna at all DBS customers of record locations is below the values listed for the appropriate region in § 101.105(a)(4)(ii). Alternatively, MVDDS licensees may obtain a signed written agreement from DBS customers of record stating that they are aware of and agree to their DBS system receiving MVDDS signal levels in excess of the appropriate EPFD limits specified in § 101.105(a)(4)(ii). DBS customers of record are those who had their DBS receive antennas installed prior to or within the 30 day period after notification to the DBS operator by the MVDDS licensee of the proposed MVDDS transmitting antenna site.

(b) MVDDS licensees are required to conduct a survey of the area around its proposed transmitting antenna site to determine the location of all DBS customers of record that may potentially be affected by the introduction of its MVDDS service. The MVDDS licensee must assess whether the signal levels from its system, under its deployment plans, would exceed the appropriate EPFD levels in § 101.105(a)(4)(ii) at any DBS customer of record location. Using EPFD calculations, terrain and building structure characteristics, and the survey results, an MVDDS licensee must make a determination of whether its signal level(s) will exceed the EPFD limit at any DBS customer of record sites. To assist in making this determination, the MVDDS provider can use the EPFD contour model developed by the Commission and described in Appendix J of the Memorandum Opinion and Order and Second Report and Order, ET Docket 98-206 or on the OET website at http://www.fcc.gov/oet/dockets/et98-206.

(c) If the MVDDS licensee determines that its signal level will exceed the EPFD limit at any DBS customer site, it shall take whatever steps are necessary, up to and including finding a new transmit site, to ensure that the EPFD limit will not be exceeded at any DBS customer location.

(d) Coordination between MVDDS and DBS licensees.

(1) At least 90 days prior to the planned date of MVDDS commencement of operations, the MVDDS licensee shall provide the following information to the DBS licensee(s):

(i) Geographic location (including NAD 83 coordinates) of its proposed station location;

(ii) Maximum EIRP of each transmitting antenna system;

(iii) Height above ground level for each transmitting antenna;

(iv) Antenna type along with main beam azimuth and altitude orientation information, and description of the antenna radiation pattern;

(v) Description of the proposed service area; and

(vi) Survey results along with a technical description of how it determined compliance with the appropriate EPFD level at all DBS subscriber locations.

(2) No later than forty-five days after receipt of the MVDDS system information in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the DBS licensee(s) shall provide the MVDDS licensee with a list of only those new DBS customer locations that have been installed in the 30-day period following the MVDDS notification and that the DBS licensee believes may receive harmful interference or where the prescribed EPFD limits may be exceeded. In addition, the DBS licensee(s) could indicate agreement with the MVDDS licensee's technical assessment, or identify DBS customer locations that the MVDDS licensee failed to consider or DBS customer locations where they believe the MVDDS licensee erred in its analysis and could exceed the prescribed EPFD limit.

(3) Prior to commencement of operation, the MVDDS licensee must take into account any new DBS customers or other relevant information provided by DBS licensees in response to the notification in paragraph (d)(1) of this section.

(e) Beginning thirty days after the DBS licensees are notified of a potential MVDDS site in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the DBS licensees are responsible for providing information they deem necessary for those entities who install all future DBS receive antennas on its system to take into account the presence of MVDDS operations so that these DBS receive antennas can be located in such a way as to avoid the MVDDS signal. These later installed DBS receive antennas shall have no further rights of complaint against the notified MVDDS transmitting antenna(s).

(f) In the event of either an increase in the EPFD contour in any direction or a major modification as defined in § 1.929 of this chapter, such as the addition of an antenna, to an MVDDS station, the procedures of paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section and rights of complaint begin anew. Exceptions to this are renewal, transfer of control, and assignment of license applications.

(g) Interference complaints. The MVDDS licensee must satisfy all complaints of interference to DBS customers of record which are received during a one year period after commencement of operation of the transmitting facility. Specifically, the MVDDS licensee must correct interference caused to a DBS customer of record or cease operation if it is demonstrated that the DBS customer is receiving harmful interference from the MVDDS system or that the MVDDS signal exceeds the permitted EPFD level at the DBS customer location.