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 17-178 February 21, 2017 INTERNATIONAL BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON THE NEXT ORBIT ACT REPORT Pleading Cycle Established IB Docket No. 17-50 Comment Date: March 23, 2017 Reply Comment Date: April 7, 2017 Section 646 of the Open-Market Reorganization for the Betterment of International Telecommunications Act (ORBIT Act) 1 requires the Commission to report annually to the Committees on Commerce and International Relations of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Foreign Relations of the U.S. Senate. 2 The purpose of the ORBIT 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 the intergovernmental satellite organizations, INTELSAT and Inmarsat. 3 For the next report to Congress, we seek comment on the impact of privatization on U.S. industry, jobs, and industry access to the global marketplace and any progress since the last report affecting the objectives of the ORBIT Act. 4 Comments will be reflected in the next ORBIT Act report and made available in full to the House and Senate committees. Comments should be filed on or before March 23, 2017, and reply comments on or before April 7, 2017, in IB Docket No. 17-50. Pursuant to section 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission’s rules, 5 interested parties may file comments and reply comments on or before the dates indicated above. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). 6 1 Open-Market Reorganization for the Betterment of International Telecommunications Act, Pub. L. No. 106-180, 114 Stat. 48 (2000), as amended, Pub. L. No. 107-233, 116 Stat. 1480 (2002) (codified at 47 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.). 2 47 U.S.C. § 646. For previous ORBIT Act reports to Congress, see Federal Communications Commission, Reports, https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/reports?field_report_series_tid[0]=1747 (last visited Feb. 2, 2017). 3 47 U.S.C. § 761. 4 FCC Report to Congress as Required by the ORBIT Act – Seventeenth Report, Report, 31 FCC Rcd 7417 (2016). 5 47 CFR §§ 1.415, 1.419. 6 See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 Fed. Reg. 24121 (1998). ? Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing ECFS: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/. ? 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 12 th 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 12 th 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). For further information, contact Cara Grayer, Telecommunications and Analysis Division, International Bureau, at Cara.Grayer@fcc.gov or (202) 418-2960 or Jerry Duvall, Telecommunications and Analysis Division, International Bureau, at Jerry.Duvall@fcc.gov or (202) 418-2616. -FCC-