On December 23, 2016, the Commission
released a Report and Order in IB Docket No. 13-213, FCC 16-181,
titled “Terrestrial Use of the 2473-2495 MHz Band for Low-Power
Mobile Broadband Networks; Amendments to Rules for the Ancillary
Terrestrial Component (ATC) of Mobile Satellite Service Systems.”
The revisions to 47 C.F.R. Part 25 adopted in the Report and Order
remove a portion of the information collection requirements as it
relates to a newly proposed low power broadband network, as
described in document FCC 16-181. These revisions enable ATC
licensees to operate low-power ATC using licensed spectrum in the
2483.5-2495 MHz band. Although the original low-power ATC proposal
described the use of the adjacent 2473-2483.5 MHz band, low-power
terrestrial operations at 2473-2483.5 MHz were not authorized by
the Report and Order. The revisions provide an exception for
low-power ATC from the requirements contained in section 25.149(b)
of the Commission’s rules, which require detailed showings
concerning satellite system coverage and replacement satellites.
The revisions also provide an exception from a rule requiring
integrated service, which generally requires that service handsets
be capable of communication with both satellites and terrestrial
base stations. Accordingly, the provider of low-power ATC would be
relieved from certain burdens that are currently in place in the
existing information collection. To qualify for authority to deploy
a low-power terrestrial network in the 2483.5-2495 MHz band, an ATC
licensee would need to certify that it will utilize a Network
Operating System to manage its terrestrial low-power network.
Although the Report and Order also created new technical
requirements for equipment designed to communicate with a low-power
ATC network, satisfaction of these technical requirements relieves
ATC licensees from meeting other technical requirements that apply
to ATC systems generally. We also had a revision to this
information collection to reflect the elimination of the elements
of this information collection for 2 GHz Mobile Satellite Service
(MSS). See 78 FR 48621-22.
With this submission to OMB,
there are program changes/decreases of 15 to the number of
respondents, of 15 to the annual number of responses, of 165 hours
to the annual burden hours and $79,230 to the annual cost burden.
These program changes are due to the modification of the
information collection requirements contained in document FCC
16-181. This includes a removal a portion of the information
collection as applied to low-power ATC in the 2483.5-2495 MHz band,
the addition of a new certification for low-power ATC, and a
modification of the technical requirements which must be met by
low-power ATC equipment. The reduction in the annual burden also
reflects the elimination of the elements of this information
collection related to the provision of ATC in by the 2 GHz MSS. See
78 FR 48621-22. We note that the reduction related to the 2 GHz MSS
was inadvertently omitted in the October 2015 supporting
statement.
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.
Supporting Statement OMB 3060-0994 (2017) (Final).doc
Flexibility for Delivery of Communications by Mobile Satellite Service Providers in the 2 GHz Band, the L-Band, and the 1.6/2.4 GHz Band