§ 63.24 - Assignments and transfers of control.

§ 63.24 Assignments and transfers of control.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 85 FR 76387, Nov. 27, 2020.

(a) General. Except as otherwise provided in this section, an international section 214 authorization may be assigned, or control of such authorization may be transferred by the transfer of control of any entity holding such authorization, to another party, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, directly or indirectly, only upon application to and prior approval by the Commission.

(b) Assignments. For purposes of this section, an assignment of an authorization is a transaction in which the authorization is assigned from one entity to another entity. Following an assignment, the authorization is held by an entity other than the one to which it was originally granted.

Note to paragraph (b):

The sale of a customer base, or a portion of a customer base, by a carrier to another carrier, is a sale of assets and shall be treated as an assignment, which requires prior Commission approval under this section.

(c) Transfers of control. For purposes of this section, a transfer of control is a transaction in which the authorization remains held by the same entity, but there is a change in the entity or entities that control the authorization holder. A change from less than 50 percent ownership to 50 percent or more ownership shall always be considered a transfer of control. A change from 50 percent or more ownership to less than 50 percent ownership shall always be considered a transfer of control. In all other situations, whether the interest being transferred is controlling must be determined on a case-by-case basis with reference to the factors listed in Note to paragraph (c).

(d) Pro forma assignments and transfers of control. Transfers of control or assignments that do not result in a change in the actual controlling party are considered non-substantial or pro forma. Whether there has been a change in the actual controlling party must be determined on a case-by-case basis with reference to the factors listed in Note 1 to this paragraph (d). The types of transactions listed in Note 2 to this paragraph (d) shall be considered presumptively pro forma and prior approval from the Commission need not be sought.

Note 1 to paragraph (d):

Because the issue of control inherently involves issues of fact, it must be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary with the circumstances presented by each case. The factors relevant to a determination of control in addition to equity ownership include, but are not limited to the following: power to constitute or appoint more than fifty percent of the board of directors or partnership management committee; authority to appoint, promote, demote and fire senior executives that control the day-to-day activities of the licensee; ability to play an integral role in major management decisions of the licensee; authority to pay financial obligations, including expenses arising out of operations; ability to receive monies and profits from the facility's operations; and unfettered use of all facilities and equipment.

Note 2 to paragraph (d):

If a transaction is one of the types listed further, the transaction is presumptively pro forma and prior approval need not be sought. In all other cases, the relevant determination shall be made on a case-by-case basis. Assignment from an individual or individuals (including partnerships) to a corporation owned and controlled by such individuals or partnerships without any substantial change in their relative interests; Assignment from a corporation to its individual stockholders without effecting any substantial change in the disposition of their interests; Assignment or transfer by which certain stockholders retire and the interest transferred is not a controlling one; Corporate reorganization that involves no substantial change in the beneficial ownership of the corporation (including re-incorporation in a different jurisdiction or change in form of the business entity); Assignment or transfer from a corporation to a wholly owned direct or indirect subsidiary thereof or vice versa, or where there is an assignment from a corporation to a corporation owned or controlled by the assignor stockholders without substantial change in their interests; or Assignment of less than a controlling interest in a partnership.

(e) Applications for substantial transactions.

(1) In the case of an assignment or transfer of control shall of an international section 214 authorization that is not pro forma, the proposed assignee or transferee must apply to the Commission for authority prior to consummation of the proposed assignment or transfer of control.

(2) The application shall include the information requested in paragraphs (a) through (d) of § 63.18 for both the transferor/assignor and the transferee/assignee. The information requested in paragraphs (h) through (pq) of § 63.18 is required only for the transferee/assignee. At the beginning of the application, the The ownership diagram required under § 63.18(h)(2) shall include both the pre-transaction and post-transaction ownership of the authorization holder. The applicant shall include a narrative of describing the means by which the proposed transfer or assignment will take place.

(3) The Commission reserves the right to request additional information as to the particulars of the transaction to aid it in making its public interest determination.

(4) An assignee or transferee must notify the Commission no later than thirty (30) days after either consummation of the proposed assignment or transfer of control, or a decision not to consummate the proposed assignment or transfer of control. The notification shall identify the file numbers under which the initial authorization and the authorization of the assignment or transfer of control were granted.

(f) Notifications for non-substantial or pro forma transactions.

(1) In the case of a pro forma assignment or transfer of control, the section 214 authorization holder is not required to seek prior Commission approval.

(2) A pro forma assignee or a carrier that is subject to a pro forma transfer of control must file a notification with the Commission no later than thirty (30) days after the assignment or transfer is completed. The notification must contain the following:

(i) The information requested in paragraphs (a) through (d) and (h) of § 63.18 for the transferee/assignee. The ownership diagram required under § 63.18(h)(2) shall include both the pre-transaction and post-transaction ownership of the authorization holder; and

(ii) A certification that the transfer of control or assignment was pro forma and that, together with all previous pro forma transactions, does not result in a change in the actual controlling party.

(3) A single notification may be filed for an assignment or transfer of control of more than one authorization if each authorization is identified by the file number under which it was granted.

(4) Upon release of a public notice granting a pro forma assignment or transfer of control, petitions for reconsideration under § 1.106 of this chapter or applications for review under § 1.115 of this chapter of the Commission's rules may be filed within 30 days. Petitioner should address why the assignment or transfer of control in question should have been filed under paragraph (e) of this section rather than under this paragraph (f).

(g) Involuntary assignments or transfers of control. In the case of an involuntary assignment or transfer of control to: a bankruptcy trustee appointed under involuntary bankruptcy; an independent receiver appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction in a foreclosure action; or, in the case of death or legal disability, to a person or entity legally qualified to succeed the deceased or disabled person under the laws of the place having jurisdiction over the estate involved; the applicant must make the appropriate filing no later than 30 days after the event causing the involuntary assignment or transfer of control.

(h) Electronic filing. Subject to the availability of electronic forms, all applications and notifications described in this section must be filed electronically through the International Communications Filing System (ICFS). A list of forms that are available for electronic filing can be found on the ICFS homepage. For information on electronic filing requirements, see §§ 1.10000 through 1.10018 of this chapter and the ICFS homepage at https://www.fcc.gov/icfs. See also §§ 63.20 and 63.53.

[67 FR 45391, July 9, 2002, as amended at 70 FR 38799, July 6, 2005; 72 FR 54366, Sept. 25, 2007; 88 FR 21444, Apr. 10, 2023; 85 FR 76387, Nov. 27, 2020]