FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:        News Media Contact: 
  June  24, 1999                Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0500
  
  
FCC INTERNATIONAL BUREAU SPEEDS UP EARTH STATION LICENSING 
Cuts Processing Time for Routine Ku-band Applications to 55 Days 
                              
     The Commission took action today streamlining the processing of routine
  earth station applications in the Ku-band.  The action taken today, which will
  become effective on August 15, 1999, should reduce the amount of time it takes
  to process such applications to 55 days from the date of receipt; it currently
  takes 75 days on average to process these applications.  In addition, the
  Commission announced that the International Bureau will soon initiate a
  rulemaking proceeding to adopt further streamlining measures relating to earth
  station licensing.
     
     "These changes will speed the delivery of Ku-band services to the public,
  " said William E. Kennard, Chairman of the FCC.  "These measures are an
  excellent example of how the Commission can adjust its processes to reflect the
  increased competition and consumer demand that we are seeing in the satellite
  marketplace.  It is certainly in the best interests of consumers and the satellite
  industry that we make our licensing procedures as quick and efficient as
  possible."   
     
     The action taken today enables the International Bureau to automatically
  grant routine satellite earth station applications proposing to use the Ku-band
  fixed-satellite service frequencies  (14.0-14.5 GHz / 11.7-12.2 GHz) to
  communicate with all satellites authorized to provide service to the United States
  (ALSAT).  Such routine earth station applications will now be considered as
  granted 35 days from the date that the application appears on public notice as
  "accepted for filing," provided that no objections have been filed.  Since it
  typically takes on average 20 days to put an application out on public notice
  from the time an application is received by the Commission's lockbox bank (the
  Mellon Bank), the process should take no more than 55 days from start to finish.
     
     Eighty percent of the approximately 700 Ku-band earth station
  applications filed in 1998 were routine.  The number of customers associated
  with such applications is about 35,000 customers.  "Today's action will reduce
  the amount of time it takes to bring service to some 35,000 customers by about 3
  weeks," said Roderick K. Porter, Acting Chief of the International Bureau.
  
     In addition, the Bureau has reduced the number of required emission
  designators identified in applications for digital systems.  Emission designators
  are a short-hand method used to define the frequency bandwidth and the
  modulation technique and type of service or combination of services (i.e. the
  radio frequency carrier class).  This new practice will allow the Bureau to take
  significantly less time to enter earth station information into its database and
  consequently will reduce the amount of time required for processing.  Further, it
  will eliminate, in large part, the need for earth station operators to file
  modification applications whenever they wish to add a new emission since earth
  station licensees will be authorized to operate within the bandwidth/power range
  established by the emission designators contained in the license.  
  
     In the near future, the International Bureau will recommend to the
  Commission more comprehensive changes to the earth station licensing process
  in the form of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM).  Among the changes
  being contemplated for inclusion in an NPRM are:  (1) expanding the scope of
  applications classified as "routine" and thereby reducing  the number of
  applications requiring case-by-case analysis; (2) conditionally granting upon
  filing earth station applications for "certain services;" (3) "post card notification"
  for renewing earth station licenses; (4) mandatory electronic filing by a certain
  date; (5) increasing the license term for earth stations; and (6) type acceptance
  of satellite earth station equipment.
      
     The Notice would also seek other suggestions from industry to improve
  the earth station licensing process.  Written suggestions may be sent, in the
  interim, to Ronald T. Repasi, Chief, Satellite Engineering Branch, 445 Twelfth
  St., S.W., Washington, D.C., 20554.
  
               
  International Bureau contacts: Ron Repasi (202) 418-0768; Frank Peace (202)
  418-0730.
                              - FCC -