PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 10-391 March 9, 2010 COMMENT CYCLE ESTABLISHED FOR STRATOS OFFSHORE SERVICES COMPANY’S REQUEST FOR SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY Comment Date: April 8, 2010 Reply Comment Date: April 23, 2010 By this Public Notice, the Mobility Division of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on a request for special temporary authority (STA) filed by Stratos Offshore Services Company (Stratos).1 Specifically, Stratos requests an STA for a period of 180 days to allow operation of certain 2.3 GHz point-to-point Wireless Communications Service (WCS) microwave links in the Gulf of Mexico.2 Stratos is the licensee of four WCS licenses covering the Gulf of Mexico geographic market, a service area beginning 12 nautical miles from the shoreline and extending outward into the Gulf. Stratos recently discovered that certain of its links have been operating within 12 nautical miles of the shoreline, without the requisite authorization.3 In its Request, Stratos notes that the links at issue are crucial for the monitoring and protecting of its customers’ vital offshore assets, and are critical to the coordination of public safety operations in the event of emergencies, including the safety of workers and the prevention and control of environmental hazards such as oil spills.4 Stratos argues that continued operation is the only viable means for maintaining these critical communications, and is seeking a STA to permit interim operation of these links while Stratos secures appropriate authority for continued operations in this area.5 Stratos indicates that it has contacted the affected land-based WCS licensees (NW Spectrum Co., WCS Wireless License Subsidiary, LLC, BellSouth Mobile Data, Inc., and Unrestricted Subsidiary Funding Company), and that it is commencing spectrum lease negotiations with these entities regarding the 1 Stratos Offshore Services Company, Request for Special Temporary Authority, File No. 0004135160, filed February 22, 2010 (Request). 2 Request at 1. 3 Id. 4 Id. 5 Id. operations at issue.6 As part of its Request, Stratos provides letters from the land-based WCS licensees indicating that they do not object to Stratos’ Request for STA.7 Procedural Matters Interested parties may file comments on or before April 8, 2010, and reply comments on or before April 23, 2010. All filings should refer to WT Docket No. 10-59. 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 (1998). § Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/ or the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. § Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and four copies of each filing. 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. § Effective December 28, 2009, 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. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. The filing hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. § 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 e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (Voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY). Comments filed in response to this Public Notice, along with the Petition discussed above, will be available for public inspection and copying during business hours in the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-A257, Washington, D.C. 20554, and via the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) by entering the docket number, WT Docket No. 10-59. The comments may also be purchased from Best Copy and Printing, Inc., telephone (800) 378-3160, facsimile (301) 816-0169, e-mail fcc@bcpiweb.com. This matter shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules. See 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200, 1.1206. Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the 6 Id. at 1-2. 7 Id. at 2. substance of the presentations and not merely a listing of the subjects discussed. More than a one- or two- sentence description of the views and arguments presented generally is required. See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b). Other rules pertaining to oral and written ex parte presentations in permit-but-disclose proceedings are set forth in section 1.1206(b) of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b). For further information, contact Richard Arsenault, Mobility Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau at (202) 418-0920 or via email at Richard.Arsenault@fcc.gov. By the Chief, Mobility Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. -FCC-