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 PUBLIC  NOTICE  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  St.,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  TTY:  1-  888-  835-  5322 
 DA  03-  1284 
 April  25,  2003 


 Commission  Adopts  Freeze  on  New  Satellite  License  Applications 


 On  April  23,  2003,  the  Commission  adopted  the  Space  Station  Reform  First  Report  and  Order  and  Further  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking,  substantially  revising  its  satellite  licensing  process.  1  In  that 
 Order,  the  Commission  adopted  a  freeze  on  new  satellite  license  applications,  other  than  Direct  Broadcast  Satellite  (DBS)  and  Digital  Audio  Radio  Satellite  (DARS)  satellites.  2  This  freeze  is  limited  to 
 applications  for  licenses  for  new  satellites.  It  does  not  apply  to  applications  for  replacement  satellites,  modifications  to  existing  satellite  licenses,  or  requests  for  Special  Temporary  Authority  (STA),  unless 
 those  applications  or  requests  seek  authority  to  operate  on  frequencies  not  previously  authorized  for  operation  by  that  licensee.  Similarly,  the  freeze  does  not  apply  to  amendments  to  pending  satellite  license 
 applications  unless  the  amendment  would  add  frequencies  that  were  not  in  the  original  license  application.  This  freeze  began  on  April  23,  2003,  and  will  remain  in  effect  until  a  summary  of  the  First 
 Report  and  Order  is  published  in  the  Federal  Register. 


 1  See  New  Satellite  Licensing  Process  Facilitates  Faster  Deployment  of  Consumer 
 Services,  Press  Release  (released  Apr.  23,  2003)  (Press  Release).  The  First  Report  and  Order  and  Further  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  in  IB  Docket  No.  02-  34  and  First  Report  and  Order  in  IB  Docket 


 No.  02-  54  will  be  released  shortly. 
 2  Press  Release  at  2. 
1