Submarine Cable Landing License Applications
To land or operate a submarine cable in the United States, submarine cable operators must obtain a cable landing license from the FCC. The FCC’s International Bureau, Telecommunications and Analysis Division (TAD) issues licenses to own and operate submarine cables and associated landing stations in the United States pursuant to the Commission’s authority under the Cable Landing License Act of 1921 and Executive Order No. 10530. Before granting the application, the FCC coordinates with the Department of State and any other agencies, as needed.
As of February 2023, there are 5 pending new submarine cable landing license or renewal applications. The applications listed in the table below are pending applications for new cable landing licenses or renewals. The table provides a link to an Accepted for Filing Public Notice (AFF PN) if the International Bureau has reviewed the application and placed it on an AFF PN, or a link to the application. The applications listed in this table do not include modifications and transfers of control or assignments of existing cable landing licenses. A complete list of all pending submarine cable applications, including modifications and transfer of control or assignment applications, can be found in IBFS at FCC Submarine Cable Landing Pending Applications List By File Number.
|
Pending Applications by Date of Public Notice |
Name of Cable |
Applicant & |
Location |
Accepted for Filing Public Notice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
St. Thomas-St. Croix Cable System |
AT&T Corp. SCL-LIC-20220114-00004 |
Application filed for a new cable landing license to allow the continued operation of the St. Thomas-St. Croix Cable System for an additional 25-year term following the expiration of the current license on April 30, 2022 (SCL-LIC-19940815-00003). The St. Thomas-St. Croix Cable System is a non-common carrier fiber-optic submarine cable system that connects Magens Bay, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and Butler Bay, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. |
2/3/2022 |
2 |
BAHAMAS II Cable System |
Bahamas Telecommunications Company Limited SCL-LIC-20220422-00016 |
The Bahamas Telecommunications Company Limited filed an application for authority to renew the cable landing license for the BAHAMAS II Cable System (Bahamas II Cable) (SCL-LIC-19960329-00128, SCL-MOD-19980303-00004) for an additional 25 years. The Bahamas II Cable's initial 25 year license expired on April 1, 2022. The Bahamas II Cable connects Vero Beach, Florida to Nassau, the Bahamas, with an intermediate point at Eight Mile Rock, the Bahamas. It is currently operated on a common carrier basis. |
11/18/2022 |
3 |
Apricot |
GU Holdings Inc. SCL-LIC-20220715-00024 |
Applicants request a license to construct, land, and operate a private, non-common carrier fiber-optic submarine cable system connecting Guam with Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan. |
|
4 |
JUNO |
Seren Juno Network America, Inc. SCL-LIC-20221208-00037 |
Application filed for a license to land and operate within United States territory a non-common carrier private fiber-optic submarine cable network connecting Grover Beach, California; Harbour Pointe, Washington; and Shima and Minamiboso, Japan. |
2/10/2023 |
5 |
Bifrost |
Edge Cable Holdings USA, LLC |
Applicants apply for a license to land and operate within U.S. territory the Bifrost cable system, a private fiber-optic submarine cable network connecting California, Oregon, Guam, Mexico, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore. |
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