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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  06-  559  Report  No.  SPB-  215 
 March  9,  2006 


 INTERNATIONAL  BUREAU  INFORMATION:  REPORT  TO  CONGRESS  REGARDING  THE  ORBIT  ACT 
 PLEADING  CYCLE  ESTABLISHED  IB  Docket  No.  06-  61 


 Comment  Date:  March  30,  2006  Reply  Comment  Date:  April  13,  2006 
 Section  646  of  the  Open-  Market  Reorganization  for  the  Betterment  of  International  Telecommunications  Act  (“  the  ORBIT  Act”),  47  U.  S.  C.  §  646,  requires  the  Commission  to  report 
 annually  to  the  Committees  on  Commerce  and  International  Relations  of  the  House  of  Representatives  and  the  Committees  on  Commerce,  Science,  and  Transportation  and  Foreign  Relations  of  the  Senate  on 
 the  progress  made  to  achieve  the  objectives  and  carry  out  the  purposes  and  provisions  of  ORBIT  Act.  The  Commission  issued  its  first  report  on  June  15,  2000,  its  second  report  on  June  15,  2001,  its  third 
 report  on  June  14,  2002,  its  fourth  report  on  June  16,  2003,  its  fifth  report  on  June  15,  2004,  and  its  sixth  report  on  June  15,  2005.  1  The  next  report  is  due  on  June  15,  2006. 


 The  purpose  of  the  Act  is  to  promote  a  fully  competitive  global  market  for  satellite  communications  services  for  the  benefit  of  consumers  and  providers  of  satellite  services  and  equipment 
 by  fully  privatizing  INTELSAT  and  Inmarsat.  The  Commission  has  previously  received  comment  on  INTELSAT’s  and  Inmarsat’s  privatization  in  connection  with  other  proceedings  and  prior  to  earlier 
 reports  to  Congress.  The  purpose  of  this  notice  is  to  provide  an  opportunity  for  industry  and  consumers  to  file  additional  comments,  particularly  with  respect  to  the  impact  of  privatization  on  U.  S.  industry,  jobs, 
 and  industry  access  to  the  global  marketplace.  Comments  and  views  will  be  reflected  in  the  Commission’s  report  and  made  available  in  full  to  the  House  and  Senate  committees. 


 Comments  should  be  filed  on  or  before  March  30,  2006  and  Reply  Comments  on  or  before  April  13,  2006.  Comments  and  reply  comments  should  be  filed  in  IB  Docket  No.  06-  61. 


 1  See,  e.  g.  FCC  Report  to  Congress  as  Required  by  the  ORBIT  Act,  FCC  05-  127,  (rel.  June  15,  2005). 
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