§ 27.1412 - Transition Plan.

§ 27.1412 Transition Plan.

(a) Relocation deadlines. Eligible space station operators are responsible for all necessary actions to clear their transponders from the 3700-4000 MHz band (e.g., launching new satellites, reprogramming transponders, exchanging customers) and to migrate the existing services of incumbent earth stations in CONUS to the 4000-4200 MHz band (unless the incumbent earth station opts out of the formal relocation process, per paragraph (e) of this section), as of December 5, 2025. Eligible space station operators that fail to do so will be in violation of the conditions of their license authorization and potentially subject to forfeitures and other sanctions.

(b) Accelerated relocation deadlines. An eligible space station operator shall qualify for accelerated relocation payments by completing an early transition of the band to the 3.7 GHz Service.

(1) Phase I deadline. An eligible space station operator shall receive an accelerated relocation payment if it clears its transponders from the 3700-3820 MHz band and migrates all associated incumbent earth stations in CONUS above 3820 MHz no later than December 5, 2021 (Phase I deadline). To satisfy the Phase I deadline, an eligible space station operator must also provide passband filters to block signals from the 3700-3820 MHz band on all associated incumbent earth stations in PEAs 1-4, 6-10, 12-19, 21-41, and 43-50 no later than December 5, 2021 (see § 27.6(m)). If an eligible space station operator receives an accelerated relocation payment for meeting this deadline, it must also satisfy the second early clearing deadline of December 5, 2023.

(2) Phase II deadline. An eligible space station operator shall receive an accelerated relocation payment if it clears its transponders from the 3700-4000 MHz band and migrates incumbent earth stations in CONUS above 4000 MHz no later than December 5, 2023 (Phase II deadline). To satisfy the Phase II deadline, an eligible space station operator must also provide passband filters on all associated incumbent earth stations in CONUS no later than December 5, 2023.

(3) Transition delays. An eligible space station operator shall not be held responsible for circumstances beyond their control related to earth station migration or filtering.

(i) An eligible space station operator must submit a notice of any incumbent earth station transition delays to the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau within 7 days of discovering an inability to accomplish the assigned earth station transition task. Such a request must include supporting documentation to allow for resolution as soon as practicable and must be submitted before the accelerated relocation deadlines.

(ii) [Reserved]

(4) Responsibility for meeting accelerated relocation deadlines. An eligible space station operator's satisfaction of the accelerated relocation deadlines shall be determined on an individual basis.

(c) Accelerated relocation election. An eligible space station operator may elect to receive accelerated relocation payments to transition the 3700-4000 MHz band to the 3.7 GHz Service according to the Phase I and Phase II deadlines via a written commitment by filing an accelerated relocation election in GN Docket No. 18-122 no later than May 29, 2020.

(1) The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau will prescribe the precise form of such election via Public Notice no later than May 12, 2020.

(2) Each eligible space station operator that that makes an accelerated relocation election will be required, as part of its filing of this accelerated relocation election, to commit to paying the administrative costs of the Clearinghouse until the Commission awards licenses to the winning bidders in the auction, at which time those administrative costs will be repaid to those space station operators.

(d) Transition Plan. Eligible space station operators must file with the Commission in GN Docket No. 18-122 no later than June 12, 2020, a Transition Plan that describes the actions that must be taken to clear transponders on space stations and to migrate and filter earth stations. Eligible space station operators must make any necessary updates or resolve any deficiencies in their individual Transition Plans by August 14, 2020.

(1) The Transition Plan must detail the eligible space station operator's individual timeline and necessary actions for clearing its transponders from the 3700-4000 MHz band, including:

(i) All existing space stations with operations that will need to be transitioned to operations above 4000 MHz;

(ii) The number of new satellites, if any, that the space station operator will need to launch in order to maintain sufficient capacity post-transition, including detailed descriptions of why such new satellites are necessary;

(iii) The specific grooming plan for migrating existing services above 4000 MHz, including the pre- and post-transition frequencies that each customer will occupy;

(iv) Any necessary technology upgrades or other solutions, such as video compression or modulation, that the space station operator intends to implement;

(v) The number and location of incumbent earth stations antennas currently receiving the space station operator's transmissions that will need to be transitioned above 4000 MHz;

(vi) An estimate of the number and location of incumbent earth station antennas that will require retuning and/or repointing in order to receive content on new transponder frequencies post-transition; and

(vii) The specific timeline by which the space station operator will implement the actions described in its plan including any commitments to satisfy an early clearing.

(2) To the extent that incumbent earth stations are not accounted for in eligible space station operators' Transition Plans, the Relocation Coordinator must prepare an Earth Station Transition Plan for such incumbent earth stations and may require each associated space station operator to file the information needed for such a plan with the Relocation Coordinator.

(i) Where space station operators do not elect to clear by the accelerated relocation deadlines and therefore are not responsible for earth station relocation, the Earth Station Transition Plan must provide timelines that ensure all earth station relocation is completed no later than the relocation deadline.

(ii) The Relocation Coordinator will describe and recommend the respective responsibility of each party for earth station migration and filtering obligations in the Earth Station Transition Plan and assist incumbent earth stations in transitioning including, for example, by installing filters or hiring a third party to install such filters to the extent necessary.

(e) Incumbent earth station opt-out. An incumbent earth station within the contiguous United States may opt out of the formal relocation process and accept a lump sum payment equal to the estimated reasonable transition costs of earth station migration and filtering, as determined by the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, in lieu of actual relocation costs. Such an incumbent earth station is responsible for coordinating with the relevant space station operator as necessary and performing all relocation actions on its own, including switching to alternative transmission mechanisms such as fiber, and it will not receive further reimbursement for any costs exceeding the lump sum payment. An incumbent earth station electing to opt out must inform the appropriate space station operator(s) and the Relocation Coordinator that earth station migration and filtering will not be necessary for the relevant earth station site and must coordinate with operators to avoid any disruption of video and radio programming.

(f) Space station status reports. On a quarterly basis, beginning December 31, 2020: Each eligible space station operator must provide a status report of its clearing efforts. Eligible space station operators may file joint status reports.

(g) Certification of accelerated relocation. Each eligible space station operator must file a timely certification that it has completed the necessary clearing actions to satisfy each accelerated relocation deadline. The certification must be filed once the eligible space station operator completes its obligations but no later than the applicable accelerated relocation deadline. The Wireless Telecommunication Bureau will prescribe the form of such certification.

(1) The Bureau, Clearinghouse, and relevant stakeholders will have the opportunity to review the certification of accelerated relocation and identify potential deficiencies. The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau will prescribe the form of any challenges by relevant stakeholders as to the validity of the certification and will establish the process for how such challenges will impact the incremental decreases in the accelerated relocation payment as set- forth in § 27.1422(d).

(2) If credible challenges as to the space station operator's satisfaction of the relevant deadline are made, the Bureau will issue a public notice identifying such challenges and will render a final decision as to the validity of the certification no later than 60 days from its filing. Absent notice from the Bureau of any such deficiencies within 30 days of the filing of the certification, the certification of accelerated relocation will be deemed validated.

(h) Delegated authority. The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau is delegated the role of providing clarifications or interpretations to eligible space station operators of the Commission's orders for all aspects of the transition.