Part 25 of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules Governing the Licensing of, and Spectrum Usage By, Commercial Earth Stations and Space Stations
ICR 201610-3060-011
OMB: 3060-0678
Federal Form Document
⚠️ Notice: This information collection may be outdated. More recent filings for OMB 3060-0678 can be found here:
Part 25 of the Federal
Communications Commission's Rules Governing the Licensing of, and
Spectrum Usage By, Commercial Earth Stations and Space
Stations
No
material or nonsubstantive change to a currently approved
collection
On December 17, 2015, the Commission
released a Second Report and Order in IB Docket No. 12-267, FCC
15-167, titled “Comprehensive Review of Licensing and Operating
Rules for Satellite Services.” In the Report and Order, the
Commission adopted comprehensive changes to 47 C.F.R. Part 25,
which governs licensing and operation of space stations and earth
stations for the provision of satellite communication services.
Many of the changes are designed to give applicants and licensees
more flexibility and to ease administrative burdens. For example,
the Report and Order eliminated requirements to demonstrate
completion of interim satellite development milestones; replaced
requirements for technical showings of space station compatibility
at two-degree orbital spacing with requirements for certifications
of such compatibility; expanded the eligibility of routine and
streamlined earth station processing; removed an unnecessary
reporting requirement; and eliminated requirements to provide
certain information concerning earth station transmissions and
antenna performance. Please see the attached noon-substantive
change request for the justification for this submission.
The Commission has program
changes to this information collection. There are as follows: an
increase of 44 to the number of respondents (from 4,880 to 4,924);
an increase of 44 to the annual number of responses (from 4,928 to
4,972); a decrease of 56 to the annual burden hours (from 34,155 to
34,099); and an increase of $619,075 to the annual cost burden
(from $9,998,785 to $10,617,860). The increase in estimated cost is
primarily attributable to statutorily mandated increases in the
Commission’s application fees. Otherwise, we chose a different
application fee category for the lower end of fees for earth
station transfer and assignment applications to better reflect
actual costs. The decreases in annual burden hours are a result of
the Commission’s Report and Order, FCC 15-167, which adopted many
changes to 47 C.F.R. Part 25 with the broad aim of streamlining and
simplifying its licensing of satellites and earth stations. For
example, the Report and Order eliminated the need to demonstrate
compliance with interim satellite milestone requirements. It also
required GSO FSS space station operators to submit a certification
of compatibility with satellites two degrees away, rather than to
submit a technical demonstration. These changes, among others,
reduced the estimated hour burden on respondents. However, some
changes in the Report and Order that increase flexibility for
applicants and licensees also entail new types of submissions. For
example, under the new regulations, parties may request that the
Commission file advance publication information for a satellite
system with the International Telecommunication Union before they
file a complete satellite license application. In addition, parties
may file a notification of non-routine space station operation and
be relieved of the obligation to coordinate such operation with
later applicants. The Commission also adopted an application bond
requirement as part of a new, optional satellite licensing process.
These changes should benefit applicants and licensees, but take
away from the overall reduction in burden hours as a result of the
Report and Order.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.