[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 65 (Thursday, April 6, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16777-16778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-06483]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 2 and 25

[IB Docket No. 16-408; FCC 16-170]


Update Concerning Non-Geostationary, Fixed-Satellite Service 
System and Related Matters

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission finds that a limited 
extension in this proceeding would be beneficial to the development of 
a complete record on the issues, and it grants a fourteen-day extension 
for filing reply comments in response to the Commission's notice of 
proposed rulemaking (NPRM) concerning non-geostationary, fixed-
satellite service systems and related matters.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published January 11, 
2017 (82 FR 3258) is extended. Reply comments may be filed on or before 
April 10, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit reply comments, identified by IB Docket No. 
16-408; FCC 16-170, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Federal Communications Commission's Web site: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, 
by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. 
Postal Service mail (although the Commission continues to experience 
delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). All filings must be 
addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary, 
Federal Communications Commission.
     People with Disabilities: Contact the Commission to 
request reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign 
language interpreters, CART, etc.) by email: [email protected] or phone: 
202-418-0530 or TTY: 202-418-0432.

    For detailed instructions for submitting comments and additional 
information on the rulemaking process, see the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen Duall, Satellite Division, 
International Bureau, at 202-418-1103 or via email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's 
document in IB Docket No. 16-408, DA 17-263, released on March 17, 
2017. The full text of the document is available for public inspection 
and copying during business hours in the FCC Reference Information 
Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 
20554. It also may be purchased from the Commission's duplicating 
contractor at Portals II, 445 12th Street SW., Room CY-B402, 
Washington, DC 20554. Additionally, the complete item is available on 
the Commission's Web site at http://www.fcc.gov.
    In the document, the International Bureau, pursuant to delegated 
authority, extends the deadline for reply comments to be filed in 
response to a NPRM concerning potential changes to the U.S. Table of 
Frequency Allocations contained in part 2 of the Commission's rules and 
to part 25 of the Commission's rules governing satellite 
communications. Interested parties will now have until April 10, 2017 
to file reply comments.

[[Page 16778]]

    On March 13, 2017, Inmarsat, Inc., Intelsat Corporation, Iridium 
Satellite LLC, WorldVu Satellites Ltd. d/b/a OneWeb, SES Americom, Inc. 
and its subsidiary O3b Limited, Telesat Canada, and The Boeing Company 
(collectively, ``Satellite Companies'') filed a joint motion to extend 
the deadline for filing reply comments in IB Docket No. 16-408 by 14 
days. Reply comments were originally due to be filed no later than 
March 27, 2017.
    As set forth in section 1.46(a) of the Commission's rules, ``it is 
the policy of the Commission that extensions of time shall not be 
routinely granted.'' However, in this case, we agree with the Satellite 
Companies that it is in the public interest to grant an extension to 
permit the parties to properly analyze the complex technical 
propositions raised by initial comments in the proceeding and to 
consider compromise approaches put forth on certain issues. It will 
also allow all interested to include their comments on the record at 
the reply comment deadline, as the Satellite Companies represents a 
large portion of part 25 entities affected by the proposed rules. This 
will ensure that Commission has a complete record and all parties can 
fully address the complicated issues raised in the public notice. A 
limited extension will not negatively affect existing operators or 
significantly delay Commission action on the proceeding.
    This proceeding has been designated as a ``permit-but-disclose'' 
proceeding in accordance with the Commission's ex parte rules. Persons 
making ex parte presentations must file a copy of any written 
presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral presentation within 
two business days after the presentation (unless a different deadline 
applicable to the Sunshine period applies). Persons making oral ex 
parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the 
presentation must (1) list all persons attending or otherwise 
participating in the meeting at which the ex parte presentation was 
made, and (2) summarize all data presented and arguments made during 
the presentation. If the presentation consisted in whole or in part of 
the presentation of data or arguments already reflected in the 
presenter's written comments, memoranda or other filings in the 
proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to that data or 
arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other filings 
(specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where the data 
or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the 
memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex 
parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must 
be filed consistent with Sec.  [thinsp]1.1206(b) of the Commission's 
rules. In proceedings governed by Sec.  [thinsp]1.49(f) or for which 
the Commission has made available a method of electronic filing, 
written ex parte presentations and memoranda summarizing oral ex parte 
presentations and all attachments to those documents must be filed 
through the electronic comment filing system available for that 
proceeding, and must be filed in their native format (e.g., .doc, .xml, 
.ppt, searchable .pdf). Participants in this proceeding should 
familiarize themselves with the Commission's ex parte rules.
    Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 47 
CFR 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file reply comments on the 
NPRM on or before the date indicated on the first page of this 
document. All filings related to the NPRM should refer to IB Docket No. 
16-408. Comments may be filed using: (1) The Commission's Electronic 
Comment Filing System (ECFS), (2) the Federal Government's eRulemaking 
Portal, or (3) by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of 
Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (May 1, 1998).
     Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 
using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/.
     Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must 
file an original and one copy of each filing. If more than one docket 
or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers 
must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or 
rulemaking number.
    Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial 
overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service 
mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, 
Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
     All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings 
for the Commission's Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 
445 12th St. SW., Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. The filing hours 
are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together 
with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be 
disposed of before entering the building.
     Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton 
Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743.
     U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority 
mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street SW., Washington DC 20554.
    People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible 
formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic 
files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or call the 
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-
418-0432 (tty).

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-06483 Filed 4-5-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P