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DA 18-623
OMB Control No. 3060-1211
June 15, 2018

WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU, OFFICE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY, AND INTERNATIONAL BUREAU ANNOUNCE THE INITIAL FILING WINDOW AND PROCEDURES FOR REGISTRATION OF FIXED SATELLITE SERVICE EARTH STATIONS ENTITLED TO PROTECTION FROM THE 3.5 GHZ CITIZENS BROADBAND RADIO SERVICE 
GN Docket No. 17-258
By this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Office of Engineering and Technology, and International Bureau announce June 15, 2018, as the opening of the filing window for initial registration of Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) earth stations entitled to protection from Citizens Broadband Radio Service users. See Amendment of the Commission’s Rules with Regard to Commercial Operations in the 3550-3650 MHz Band, Report and Order and Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 30 FCC Rcd 3959 (2015) (3.5 GHz First R&O); Amendment of the Commission’s Rules with Regard to Commercial Operations in the 3550-3650 MHz Band, Order on Reconsideration and Second Report and Order, 31 FCC Rcd 5011 (2016) (3.5 GHz Second R&O).
  This Public Notice also provides detailed registration instructions for earth station licensees.  The annual registration requirement is specified in 47 CFR § 96.17(d)(1).
In developing the rules governing the Citizens Broadband Radio Service, the Commission adopted measures to protect FSS earth stations in the 3.5 GHz Band and the neighboring C-band, limiting earth station protection to those earth stations that submit annual registration information submitted by eligible FSS earth station licensees. See 3.5 GHz Second R&O, 31 FCC Rcd at 5053, 5055, paras. 152, 158; 47 CFR § 96.17.  In adopting these protection measures, the Commission recognized the need to:  (1) protect incumbent earth stations operating in the 3600-3650 MHz band from harmful interference; (2) protect existing FSS earth stations operating in the adjacent 3700-4200 MHz band (C-band) from harmful interference; and (3) address the ongoing protection of previously grandfathered FSS earth stations in the 3650-3700 MHz band.  See 3.5 GHz First R&O, 30 FCC Rcd at 4042, para. 277 (3600-3650 MHz band operations) and at 4047, para. 292 (C-band operations); see also 3.5 GHz Second R&O, 31 FCC Rcd at 5054, para. 136 (grandfathered FSS earth station operation).
  On December 21, 2017, WTB, OET, and IB released a Public Notice (FSS Registration Overview Public Notice) announcing an overview of the FSS earth station registration process for licensees eligible for protection from Citizens Broadband Radio Service users. See Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Office of Engineering and Technology, and International Bureau Announce Procedures for Registration of Fixed Satellite Service Earth Stations Entitled to Protection from the 3.5 GHz Citizens Broadband Radio Service, Public Notice, 32 FCC Rcd 10419 (WTB/OET/IB 2017).
  The FSS Registration Overview Public Notice identified the specific types of earth stations that are eligible for registration Id. at 10420-21.
 and indicated that, once the registration system became operational, the agency would establish the window for initial registrations and communicate to earth station licensees the detailed registration instructions. Id. at 10421.
  We do so below.  This information and registration instructions can also be found on our website by using the following link:  https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/broadband-division/35-ghz-band-protected-fixed-satellite-service-fss-earth#block-menu-block-4.   
Registration Window Opens.  We announce that, as of June 15, 2018, we establish the open window for FSS earth station registration in the system.  Initial registration can be completed at any time. We remind licensees that all registrations must be renewed annually by December 1 for the registration to be valid at the beginning of the subsequent year.  47 CFR § 96.17(d) (“FSS earth station licensees requesting protection under this part must register with the Commission annually, no later than 30 days before the end of the preceding calendar year, or upon making changes to any of the operational parameters listed in this section.”).  Late-filed registrations and renewals will be accepted and protections will be implemented by the SASs as soon as reasonably practicable after filing.  FSS Registration Overview Public Notice, 32 FCC Rcd at 10421.
  FSS earth station licensees requesting protection must also update their registration in the event of a change in any of the operational parameters listed in the FSS Registration Overview Public Notice. 47 CFR § 96.17(d); see also FSS Registration Overview Public Notice, 32 FCC Rcd at 10421-22.
  
How Will Licensees Create an Account for Registration?  Prior to accessing the database for the first time, licensees must create a username with the Commission Registration System (CORES), using the following link:  https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do.  A licensee then receives an automated email titled “FCC Account Request Verification” and must verify its account email address as prompted.  Once the licensee is logged in to CORES, the licensee should select the “Register New FRN” or “Associate Username to FRN” option as applicable Licensees that have an existing FRN may associate it with an account in CORES instead of generating a new FRN.
 from the menu options that appear and provide the information as prompted by CORES. As discussed in the FSS Registration Overview Public Notice, certain information must be provided when completing initial and annual registration for each earth station.  FSS Registration Overview Public Notice, 32 FCC Rcd at 10421-22.  This includes information required by the Commission’s rules as well as additional information necessary to ensure that SASs can appropriately protect registered FSS earth stations.  See 47 CFR § 96.17(d)(1).  
  Once the licensee provides this information and clicks “Submit,” CORES will generate a new FRN or associate a licensee’s existing FRN with its account.  
How Will Licensees Register Each Earth Station Site?  Licensees must create profiles for each earth station call sign and then create and certify each FSS antenna site that qualifies for protection under that call sign.  Once a licensee has created or associated its FRN, it should log into the FSS Antenna Registration System (ARS) using the following link—https://www.fcc.gov/licensing-databases/fcc-user-login—and its username and password information to access the database page.  After clicking its FRN and selecting “New Call Sign,” licensees should create a Call Sign Profile by providing information as prompted by ARS.  In order to create each FSS antenna site under that Call Sign Profile, licensees must click on the specific call sign number and select “View Call Sign” on the right side of the screen to generate the next page; then, licensees must click on “New Antenna Site” and provide the information requested by the system.  Once this information is complete, licensees click on “Submit and Certify” to save the registration file and provide the information necessary for their FSS earth station to be protected from Citizens Broadband Radio Service operation in the 3550-3700 MHz Band.  
Further Questions?  For additional information, please contact Paul Powell, Assistant Division Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Mobility Division at paul.powell@fcc.gov or 202-418-1613; Paul Blais, Chief, International Bureau, Systems Analysis Branch at paul.blais@fcc.gov or 202-418-7274 or IBFSINFO@fcc.gov; or Robert Pavlak, Senior Engineer, Office of Engineering and Technology, Electromagnetic Compatibility Division at robert.pavlak@fcc.gov or 202-418-0761.
Customers with questions regarding filing registrations may contact the FCC Licensing Support via the web at https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/available-support-services, or by telephone at 877-480-3201 (select option #2).  The support hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays).
	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).