**DA 05-1671**

**Released: June 15, 2005**

**THE INTERNATIONAL BUREAU PROVIDES GUIDANCE**

**CONCERNING THE NOTICE REQUIREMENT FOR C-BAND COORDINATION**

**BY EARTH STATIONS ON VESSELS**

Section 25.221 of the Commission's rules contains provisions for Blanket
Licensing for Earth Stations on Vessels in the 3700-4200 and 5925-6425
MHz Band, *i.e.*, in the C-Band.[^1] Section 25.221(e) requires that
C-Band ESVs complete coordination prior to operating within 200
kilometers of either the baseline of the United States or U.S.-licensed
fixed offshore installations.[^2] Coordination is to be completed using
a coordination method and interference criteria objective determined by
the frequency coordinator. Upon completion of coordination, a
notification must be sent to the Commission, whereupon the Commission
will issue a Public Notice.[^3] Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 553(b)(3)(A), the
International Bureau provides the following information as guidance in
connection with Section 25.221(e) of the Commission's rules.

In order to be placed on Public Notice, the notification of the
successfully-completed frequency coordination must contain the following
information:

1.  Name and contact information of the frequency coordinator;

2.  Reference identification, date, and duration (if relevant) of the
    coordination report;

3.  Frequency coordination method used;

4.  Interference criteria used;

5.  Speed of coordinated vessel, if relevant;

6.  Center frequencies, bandwidths, and total spectrum coordinated per
    satellite;[^4]

7.  Name of satellite(s) and transponder(s) being used;

8.  Textual description and scaled map of the geographic area(s)
    coordinated;

9.  24/7 contact information for the ESV operator;

10. Call sign of the hub station if independently licensed;

11. Statement indicating that as of the date of this notification there
    are no unresolved coordination requests which would result in an
    exceedance of the maximum 180 megahertz of coordinated spectrum for
    all ESV operations in the coordination area in Section 25.202(a)(8).

The Public Notice will contain the information described in Items 1-11,
including a brief description of any detailed technical discussions
submitted with the notification. For administrative and public
convenience, the Bureau generally will release such public notices
weekly on Friday.

Operation of each individual ESV may commence immediately after the
Public Notice is released that identifies the notification sent to the
Commission. Continuance of operation of that ESV for the duration of the
coordination term shall be dependent upon successful completion of the
normal public notice process. If an objection is received to the
coordination prior to the end of the 30-day comment period of the Public
Notice indicating that an existing fixed station operator believes it
was improperly left out of the coordination process, the ESV licensee
shall immediately cease operation of that particular station until the
coordination dispute is resolved and the ESV licensee informs the
Commission of the resolution.

The International Bureau filing system does not currently provide a
means for filing a notification concerning completion of ESV
coordination. Therefore, such notifications should be filed in the form
of a letter to the Secretary, FCC, referencing relevant call signs and
file numbers, with an electronic courtesy copy submitted by email to
<ESV@fcc.gov>. The electronic file will be uploaded to the IBFS system
in connection with the relevant call signs and file numbers.
Alternatively, in the event the notification is filed simultaneously
with an application for a new or modified earth station authorization,
the notification may be attached as an exhibit to the application and
filed electronically. In such instances, the earth station application
and the coordination notification will be reviewed for completeness
separately, and will each be subject to public notice.

If interested parties require information in addition to that placed on
public notice and in the Commission's files, then we encourage them to
contact the frequency coordinator or ESV operator directly.

Action by Chief, International Bureau.

\- FCC -

[^1]: 47 C.F.R. § 25.221.

[^2]: 47 C.F.R. § 25.221(e).

[^3]: *Id.*

[^4]: ESV operators transmitting in the 5925-6425 MHz (Earth-to-space)
    frequency bands shall not seek to coordinate, in any geographic
    location, more than 36 megahertz of uplink bandwidth on each of no
    more than two satellites. *See* 47 C.F.R. § 25.221(a)(10).