§  25.131   Filing requirements for receive-only earth stations.

   (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (j) of this section, and
   §  25.115(a), applications for a license for a receive-only earth
   station shall be submitted on FCC Form 312, Main Form and Schedule B,
   accompanied by any required exhibits and the information described in
   § §  25.130(a)(1) through 25.130(a)(5). All such earth station license
   applications must be filed electronically through the International
   Bureau Filing System (IBFS) in accordance with the applicable
   provisions of part 1, subpart Y of this chapter.

   (b) Except as provided in paragraph (j) of this section, receive-only
   earth stations in the fixed-satellite service that operate with
   U.S.-licensed satellites may be registered with the Commission in order
   to protect them from interference from terrestrial microwave stations
   in bands shared co-equally with the fixed service in accordance with
   the procedures of § §  25.203 and 25.251.

   (c) Licensing or registration of receive-only earth stations with the
   Commission confers no authority to receive and use signals or
   programming received from satellites. See section 705 of the
   Communications Act. 47 U.S.C. 605.

   (d) Applications for registration shall be filed on FCC Form 312, Main
   Form and Schedule B, accompanied by the coordination exhibit required
   by §  25.203, and any other required exhibits. Any application that is
   deficient or incomplete in any respect shall be immediately returned to
   the applicant without processing.

   (e) Complete applications for registration will be placed on public
   notice for 30 days and automatically granted if no objection is
   submitted to the Commission and served on the applicant. Additional
   pleadings are authorized in accordance with §  1.45 of this chapter.

   (f) The registration of a receive-only earth station results in the
   listing of an authorized frequency band at the location specified in
   the registration. Interference protection levels are those agreed to
   during coordination.

   (g) Reception of signals or programming from non-U.S. satellites may be
   subject to restrictions as a result of international agreements or
   treaties. The Commission will maintain public information on the status
   of any such agreements.

   (h) Registration term: Registrations for receive-only earth stations
   governed by this section will be issued for a period of 15 years from
   the date on which the application was filed. Applications for renewals
   of registrations must be submitted on FCC Form 312R (Application for
   Renewal of Radio Station License in Specified Services) no earlier than
   90 days and no later than 30 days before the expiration date of the
   registration.

   (i) Applications for modification of license or registration of
   receive-only earth stations shall be made in conformance with § §  25.117
   and 25.118. In addition, registrants are required to notify the
   Commission when a receive-only earth station is no longer operational
   or when it has not been used to provide any service during any 6-month
   period.

   (j)(1) Except as set forth in paragraph (j)(2) of this section,
   receive-only earth stations operating with non-U.S. licensed space
   stations shall file an FCC Form 312 requesting a license or
   modification to operate such station.

   (2) Receive-only earth stations used to receive transmissions from
   non-U.S.-licensed space stations on the Permitted Space Station List
   need not file for licenses, provided that:

   (i) The earth station antenna meets the antenna performance standards
   set forth in § §  25.209(a) and (b), and

   (ii) The space station operator and earth station operator comply with
   all applicable rules set forth in this chapter, and the conditions on
   the Permitted Space Station List applicable to that space station.

   [ 56 FR 24016 , May 28, 1991, as amended at  61 FR 9952 , Mar. 12, 1996;  62 FR 5929 , Feb. 10, 1997;  62 FR 64172 , Dec. 4, 1997;  65 FR 58466 , Sept.
   29, 2000;  67 FR 12485 , Mar. 19, 2002;  68 FR 62249 , Nov. 3, 2003;  68 FR 63999 , Nov. 12, 2003;  69 FR 29901 , May 26, 2004;  69 FR 47795 , Aug. 6,
   2004;  70 FR 32253 , June 2, 2005]

   return arrow Back to Top