******************************************************** NOTICE ******************************************************** This document was converted from WordPerfect or Word to ASCII Text format. Content from the original version of the document such as headers, footers, footnotes, endnotes, graphics, and page numbers will not show up in this text version. All text attributes such as bold, italic, underlining, etc. from the original document will not show up in this text version. Features of the original document layout such as columns, tables, line and letter spacing, pagination, and margins will not be preserved in the text version. If you need the complete document, download the WordPerfect version or Adobe Acrobat version, if available. ***************************************************************** Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of ) ) Requests for Special ) Temporary Authority ) File Nos. See Appendix ) To Change Points of Communications ) From Inmarsat to Inmarsat Limited ) ) ORDER Adopted: March 31, 2000 Released: April 3, 2000 By the Chief, Satellite and Radiocommunication Division: 1. By this Order, we extend for an additional 180 days the Special Temporary Authority (STA) granted to Comsat Corporation/Comsat Mobile Communications (Comsat) and Stratos Mobile Networks (USA) Limited (Stratos) to continue operation of their existing land earth stations after the privatization of Inmarsat. This Order also extends for an additional 180 days the STAs granted to allow land earth station operator access to Inmarsat Limited satellites to provide additional service options to U.S. consumers. Background 2. Following the privatization of Inmarsat on April 15, 1999, Comsat and Stratos filed applications to modify the licenses of their land earth stations to reflect the transfer of the Inmarsat satellites to the new private company - Inmarsat Limited. The International Bureau (Bureau) granted STAs on April 12, 1999, and on October 15, 1999, to permit continued operation of both Comsat and Stratos earth stations located in the United States, pending Congressional action on legislation to conform the Maritime Satellite Act to the Inmarsat privatization. In the October 15, 1999 STA grant, the Bureau noted that, following the April 12, 1999 STA grant, it had received and granted requests to allow additional land earth stations to provide new satellite services to U.S. consumers using the Inmarsat Limited satellites. The Bureau further noted that Congressional action is necessary to authorize U.S. participation in the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO) and to eliminate provisions of the Act no longer necessary or relevant to operation of Inmarsat in the United States. The October 15, 1999 STA grant will expire on April 13, 2000. In the meantime, we have received further requests from Comsat and Stratos to extend their STAs for an additional 180 days to continue to allow land earth station operators access to Inmarsat Limited satellites. Discussion 3. On March 17, 2000, the Open-Market Reorganization for the Betterment of International Telecommunications Act (the ORBIT Act) was enacted into law. The ORBIT Act provides for the privatization of Inmarsat and requires the Commission to determine after April 1, 2000, whether Inmarsat has "been privatized in a manner that will harm competition in the telecommunications markets of the United States." By this Order, we are giving the applicants an opportunity to modify their applications in view of the requirements of Sections 621 and 624 of the Orbit Act. We are also extending the current STAs pending Commission action pursuant to the requirements of the ORBIT Act. 4. We find that it is in the public interest to extend these STAs to assure continuation of operations of these land earth stations via Inmarsat Limited satellites. The authorizations here are temporary only and do not prejudice Bureau action on the underlying applications pursuant to any Congressional guidance in implementing legislation. The authorizations are subject to the condition that harmful radio interference shall not be caused to any other lawfully operated radio station, and operation(s) shall cease immediately upon notification of interference. Complaints of all radio interference shall be forwarded immediately to the Bureau, in writing. Ordering Clauses 5. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that pursuant to 47 U.S.C. Section 309(f), Comsat and Stratos ARE GRANTED Special Temporary Authority, subject to the conditions specified in this Order, for a period beginning March 31, 2000 and ending September 30, 2000 to operate the existing land earth stations listed in the Appendix which are currently accessing Inmarsat satellites that have transferred to Inmarsat Limited. 6. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Comsat and Stratos may amend their applications on or before April 28, 2000 pursuant to the requirements of Sections 621 and 624 of the ORBIT Act. 7. This authorization is issued pursuant to Section 0.261 of the Commission's rules and is effective upon adoption. Petitions for Reconsideration, pursuant to Section 1.106 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. Section 1. 106, may be filed within 30 days of the public notice of this Order. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Thomas S. Tycz, Chief Satellite and Radiocommunication Division APPENDIX A NEW CALL SIGN FILE NUMBER APPLICANT NAME SATELLITE NAME KA312 SES-STA-20000223-00292 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-2 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @17W in AOR-E @55W in AOR-W INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @15.5W (AOR-E) @54W in AOR-W WA28 SES-STA-20000223-00291 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-2 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @17W in AOR-E @55W in AOR-W INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @15.5W (AOR-E) @54W in AOR-W WB36 SES-STA-20000223-00290 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-2 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @17W in AOR-E @55W in AOR-W INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @15.5W (AOR-E) @54W in AOR-W KA313 SES-STA-20000223-00287 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-2 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @17W in AOR-E @55W in AOR-W INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @15.5W (AOR-E) @54W in AOR-W KA249 SES-STA-20000329-00474 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-2 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @179E in POR INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @178E in POR E970322 SES-STA-20000223-00279 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-3 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @15.5W (AOR-E) @54W in AOR-W E980136 SES-STA-20000329-00477 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-3 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @178E in POR KA31 SES-STA-20000223-00286 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-2 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @179E in POR INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @178E in POR E890649 SES-STA-20000329-00478 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-3 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @178E in POR E980137 SES-STA-20000329-00475 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-3 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @178E in POR E980144 SES-STA-20000329-00479 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-3 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @178E in POR KA304 SES-STA-20000223-00285 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-2 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @17W in AOR-E @55W in AOR-W INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @15.5W (AOR-E) @54W in AOR-W E990027 SES-STA-20000223-00280 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-2 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @179E in POR INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @178E in POR KA305 SES-STA-20000223-00281 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-2 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @179E in POR INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @178E in POR KB34 SES-STA-20000223-00284 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-2 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @179E in POR INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @178E in POR E990032 SES-STA-20000223-00283 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-2 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @17W in AOR-E @55W in AOR-W INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @15.5W (AOR-E) @54W in AOR-W E990034 SES-STA-20000223-00282 COMSAT CORPORATION / COMSAT INMARSAT Ltd.-2 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS @17W in AOR-E @55W in AOR-W INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @15.5W (AOR-E) @54W in AOR-W KA63 SES-STA-20000328-00481 STRATOS MOBILE NETWORKS INMARSAT Ltd.-1 (USA), LLC INMARSAT Ltd.-2 INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @54W in AOR-W KA76 SES-STA-20000328-00484 STRATOS MOBILE NETWORKS INMARSAT Ltd.-1 (USA), LLC INMARSAT Ltd.-2 INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @178E in POR KA227 SES-STA-20000328-00483 STRATOS MOBILE NETWORKS INMARSAT Ltd.-1 (USA), LLC INMARSAT Ltd.-2 INMARSAT Ltd.-3 @15.5W (AOR-E)