§ 25.137 - Requests for U.S. market access through non-U.S.-licensed space stations.

§ 25.137 Requests for U.S. market access through non-U.S.-licensed space stations.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 34167, Apr. 30, 2024.

(a) Earth station applicants requesting authority to communicate with a non-U.S.-licensed space station and entities filing a petition for declaratory ruling to access the United States market using a non-U.S.-licensed space station must attach an exhibit with their FCC Form 312 demonstrating that U.S.-licensed satellite systems have effective competitive opportunities to provide analogous services in:

(1) The country in which the non-U.S. licensed space station is licensed; and

(2) All countries in which communications with the U.S. earth station will originate or terminate. The applicant bears the burden of showing that there are no practical or legal constraints that limit or prevent access of the U.S. satellite system in the relevant foreign markets. The exhibit required by this paragraph must also include a statement of why grant of the application is in the public interest. This paragraph shall not apply with respect to requests for authority to operate using a non-U.S. licensed satellite that is licensed by or seeking a license from a country that is a member of the World Trade Organization for services covered under the World Trade Organization Basic Telecommunications Agreement.

(b) Any request pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section must be filed electronically through the International Communications Filing System and must include an exhibit providing legal and technical information for the non-U.S.-licensed space station of the kind that § 25.114, § 25.122, § 25.123, or § 25.123125 would require in a license application for that space station, including but not limited to , information required to complete Schedule S. An applicant may satisfy this requirement the requirement in this paragraph (b) by cross-referencing a pending application containing the requisite information or by citing a prior grant of authority to communicate via the space station in question in the same frequency bands to provide the same type of service.

(c) A non-U.S.-licensed NGSO-like satellite system seeking to serve the United States can be considered contemporaneously with other U.S. NGSO-like satellite systems pursuant to § 25.157 and considered before later-filed applications of other U.S. satellite system operators, and a non-U.S.-licensed GSO-like satellite system seeking to serve the United States can have its request placed in a queue pursuant to § 25.158 and considered before later-filed applications of other U.S. satellite system operators, if the non-U.S.-licensed satellite system:

(1) Is in orbit and operating;

(2) Has a license from another administration; or

(3) Has been submitted for coordination to the International Telecommunication Union.

(d) Earth station applicants requesting authority to communicate with a non-U.S.-licensed space station and entities filing a petition for declaratory ruling to access the United States market must demonstrate that the non-U.S.-licensed space station has complied with all applicable Commission requirements for non-U.S.-licensed systems to operate in the United States, including but not limited to the following:

(1) Milestones;

(2) Reporting requirements;

(3) Any other applicable service rules;

(4) The surety bond requirement in § 25.165, for non-U.S.-licensed space stations that are not in orbit and operating.

(5) Entities that have one market access request on file with the Commission for NGSO-like satellite operations in a particular frequency band will not be permitted to request access to the U.S. market for another NGSO-like satellite system in that frequency band in the same processing round subject to the procedures of §§ 25.157 and 25.261.

(e) An entity requesting access to the United States market through a non-U.S.-licensed space station pursuant to a petition for declaratory ruling may amend its request by submitting an additional petition for declaratory ruling. Such additional petitions will be treated on the same basis as amendments filed by U.S. space station applicants for purposes of determining the order in which the petitions will be considered relative to pending applications and petitions.

(f) A non-U.S.-licensed space station operator that has been granted access to the United States market pursuant to a declaratory ruling may modify its U.S. operations under the procedures set forth in §§ 25.117(d) and , (h), and (j) and 25.118(e).

(g) A non-U.S.-licensed satellite operator that acquires control of a non-U.S.-licensed space station that has been permitted to serve the United States must notify the Commission within 30 days after consummation of the transaction so that the Commission can afford interested parties an opportunity to comment on whether the transaction affected any of the considerations we made when we allowed the satellite operator to enter the U.S. market. A non-U.S.-licensed satellite that has been transferred to new owners may continue to provide service in the United States unless and until the Commission determines otherwise. If the transferee or assignee is not licensed by, or seeking a license from, a country that is a member of the World Trade Organization for services covered under the World Trade Organization Basic Telecommunications Agreement, the non-U.S.-licensed satellite operator will be required to make the showing described in paragraph (a) of this section.

[62 FR 64172, Dec. 4, 1997, as amended at 64 FR 61792, Nov. 15, 1999; 65 FR 16327, Mar. 28, 2000; 65 FR 59143, Oct. 4, 2000; 68 FR 51503, Aug. 27, 2003; 68 FR 62249, Nov. 3, 2003; 69 FR 51587, Aug. 20, 2004; 78 FR 8422, Feb. 6, 2013; 81 FR 55331, Aug. 18, 2016; 81 FR 75344, Oct. 31, 2016; 85 FR 43735, July 20, 2020; 88 FR 21440, Apr. 10, 2023; 88 FR 84754, Dec. 6, 2023; 89 FR 34167, Apr. 30, 2024]