PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 45 L Street NE WASHINGTON D.C. 20554 News media information 202-418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov DA Number: 26-324 Report No. SCL-00601 Thursday April 2, 2026 Section 1.767(a) Submarine Cable Landing Licenses, Modifications, and Assignments or Transfers of Control of Interests in Submarine Cable Landing Licenses (47 C.F.R. § 1.767(a)) Actions Taken Under Submarine Cable Landing License Act By the Chief, Telecommunications and Analysis Division, Office of International Affairs: Pursuant to an Act relating to the landing and operation of submarine cables in the United States, 47 U.S.C. §§ 34-39 (Submarine Cable Landing License Act), Executive Order No. 10530, Exec. Ord. No. 10530 reprinted as amended in 3 U.S.C. § 301, and section 1.767 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR § 1.767, the following applications ARE GRANTED. These grants of authority are taken under section 0.351 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR § 0.351. Petitions for reconsideration under section 1.106 or applications for review under section 1.115 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR §§ 1.106, 1.115, may be filed within 30 days of the date of this public notice. These applications have been coordinated with the Department of State and other Executive Branch agencies pursuant to section 1.767(b) of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR § 1.767(b), and consistent with procedures established with the Department of State. See Review of Commission Consideration of Applications under the Cable Landing License Act, IB Docket No. 00-106, Report and Order, 16 FCC Rcd 22167, 22192-93, paras. 51-52 (2001) (Submarine Cable Landing License Report and Order); Commission Announces Department of State's Revised Procedures for its Consideration of Submarine Cable Landing License Applications, IB Docket No. 16-155, Public Notice, DA 22-435 (rel. Apr. 19, 2022). This public notice serves as each submarine cable landing licensee's Submarine Cable Landing License, or modification thereto, pursuant to the Cable Landing License Act and sections 1.767 and 1.768 of the Commission's rules. Submarine cable landing licensees should review the terms and conditions of their licenses. Failure to comply with these terms and conditions or relevant Commission rules and policies could result in fines or forfeitures. SCL-MOD-20250930-00070 S250399 Quintillion Subsea Operations, LLC Date filed: 2026-01-06 Modification Grant of Authority Date of Action: 2026-04-01 Quintillion Subsea Operations, LLC (Quintillion) filed an application for authority to modify the cable Page 1 of 5 landing license for the Quintillion Submarine Cable System (Quintillion System) (SCL-LIC (SCL- LIC20160325-00009). The Quintillion System connects multiple landing points in Alaska. Quintillion requests authorization to build new branches from branching units (BUs) on a newly constructed extension to the system reaching from the existing landing in Nome, Alaska to three new landing points: Emmonak, Hooper Bay, and Naknek, Alaska. On January 5, 2026, Quintillion filed an amendment to make corrections and update certain information. See SCL-AMD-20260105-00004. The Commission placed the Application and its Amendment on Public Notice on January 30, 2026. Streamlined Submarine Cable Landing License Applications, Accepted for Filing, Report No. SCL-00591S, DA Number 26-99, Public Notice (OIA January 30, 2026). No comments or oppositions were filed in response to the Public Notice. Licensing History Quintillion is the sole licensee for the Quintillion System, a non-common carrier submarine cable system connecting several points within Alaska: Prudhoe Bay, Barrow, Wainwright, Point Hope, Kotzebue, and Nome. In 2017, the Commission granted a cable landing license for the Quintillion System. See SCL- LIC-20160325-00009, Actions Taken Under Cable Landing License Act, Report No. SCL-00198, Public Notice, 32 FCC Rcd 2778 (IB 2017) (Quintillion Grant PN). The Quintillion System is subject to a January 9, 2024 National Security Agreement between Quintillion Subsea Operations, LLC, Q Gateway Ultimate Holdings, LLC, and Grain Communications Opportunity Fund III, Master, L.P., on one hand, and the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector (Committee), represented by the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense, on the other hand (2024 NSA). See SCL-T/C-20230411-00010, Actions Taken Under Cable Landing License Act, Report No. SCL-00449, Public Notice, 39 FCC Rcd 1110 (OIA 2024). Executive Branch Coordination The Application has been coordinated with the Department of State as required by Executive Order 10530, pursuant to section 1.767(b) of the Commission’s rules, and consistent with the established Department of State procedures. Executive Order 10530, Section 5(a) reprinted as amended in 3 U.S.C.A. § 301; 47 CFR §1.767(b); Review of Commission Consideration of Applications under the Cable Landing License Act, IB Docket No. 00-106, Report and Order, 16 FCC Rcd 22167, 22192-93, paras. 51-52 (2001); Commission Announces Department of State’s Revised Procedures for its Consideration of Submarine Cable Landing License Applications, IB Docket No. 16-155, Public Notice, 37 FCC Rcd 5183 (2022). See Streamlined Submarine Cable Landing License Applications Accepted For Filing, Report No. SCL-00599S, DA No. 26-260, Public Notice (OIA Mar. 19, 2026); corrected by Streamlined Submarine Cable Landing License Applications Accepted for Filing, Report No. SCL- 00600S, DA No. 26-296, Public Notice (OIA Mar. 26, 2026). In the Executive Branch Review Process Order, the Commission stated that it would generally refer submarine cable applications with reportable foreign ownership to the Executive Branch for review for national security, law enforcement, foreign policy, and trade policy issues. See Process Reform for Executive Branch Review of Certain FCC Applications and Petitions Involving Foreign Ownership, IB Docket 16-155, Report and Order, 35 FCC 10927, 10935-36, para. 24 (2020) (Executive Branch Review Process Order); see 47 CFR § 1.40001(a)(1). The Commission, however, stated that it would exclude from referral applications “where the only reportable foreign ownership is through wholly owned intermediate holding companies and the ultimate ownership and control is held by U.S. citizens or entities.” Executive Branch Review Process Order, 35 FCC at 10938-39, paras. 30, 32); see 47 CFR § Page 2 of 5 1.40001(a)(2). Quintillion states that all of its 10% or greater direct or indirect equity and voting interest holders are United States citizens or entities organized in the United States, except for GCO Fund III (Parallel), which is organized in the Cayman Islands, and is a passive intermediary entity, and ultimate control of Quintillion is held by David J. Grain, a U.S. citizen. Quintillion also requests that the Commission condition grant of the modification application on Quintillion’s continued compliance with its obligations under the 2024 NSA. We found that this application met the criteria for exclusion from referral as set forth in Section 1.40001(a)(1) and therefore did not formally refer the application. 47 CFR § 1.40001(a)(1). See Streamlined Submarine Cable Landing License Applications, Accepted for Filing, Report No. SCL- 00591S, DA Number 26-99, Public Notice (OIA January 30, 2025). We did provide a courtesy copy of the Public Notice to the Executive Branch agencies. See Executive Branch Review Process Order, 35 FCC at 10941, para. 36, n.99; see also id. 35 FCC at 10957, para 81, n.205. On March 23, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a letter stating that the Committee “does not believe, based on available information, that a referral of this application to the Committee for review under Section 5 of Executive Order (“E.O.”) 13913 is necessary.” Letter from Christopher R. Clements, Deputy Section Chief, Telecommunications and Supply Chain Foreign Investment Review Section National Security Division U.S. Department of Justice, to Marlene H. Dortch, Federal Communications Commission, March 23, 2026. Actions Taken: 1. We grant the modification of the cable landing license for the Quintillion Submarine Cable System to build new branches from branching units (BUs) on a newly constructed extension to the system reaching from the existing landing in Nome, Alaska to three new landing points: Emmonak, Hooper Bay, and Naknek, Alaska. 2. We condition grant of the modification application on Quintillion’s continued compliance with its obligations under the 2024 NSA. Licensee Information. Quintillion is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of QSH Parent Holdco, LLC, which is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Q Gateway Ultimate Holdings LLC (Ultimate Holdings), all Delaware entities. Q MIP LLC, a Delaware entity, has an approximate 10% equity interest in Ultimate Holdings and Grain Communications Opportunity Fund III Master L.P. (GCO Fund III), a Delaware entity holds an approximate 90% equity interest and 100% voting interest in Ultimate Holdings. The limited partnership interests in GCO Fund III are held by passive financial investors, three of which hold a 10% or greater equity interest in GCO Fund III: (1) Grain Communications Opportunity Fund III, LP, a Delaware entity (63.8% equity interest), (2) Grain Communications Opportunity Fund III (Parallel), L.P. (GCO Fund III (Parallel)), a Cayman Islands entity (18.7% equity interest), and (3) Grain Communications Opportunity Fund III (DE Parallel), L.P. (GCO Fund III (DE Parallel), a Delaware entity (17.3% equity interest). GCOF III GP, LLC (GCOF III GP), a Delaware entity, is the general partner of GCO Fund III and its three limited partners and holds a less than 10% equity interest in GCO Fund III. Grain Capital II, LLC, a Delaware entity, is the sole managing member of GCOF III GP, LLC (64.5% membership interests in GCOF III GP). The sole member of Grain Capital II, LLC is Grain Capital, LLC, a Delaware entity. David Grain, a U.S. citizen, owns Grain Capital, LLC and holds a less than 10% equity interest in GCO Fund III. The Applicants state that no other individual or entity has Page 3 of 5 10% or greater direct or indirect equity or voting interest in GCO Fund III or Quintillion. Quintillion agrees to accept and abide by the routine conditions set out in section 1.767(g) of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR § 1.767(g). Cable Design and Capacity. Quintillion proposes to construct several new branches of the Quintillion System on a newly constructed extension reaching from the existing landing in Nome, Alaska to three new landings in Emmonak, Hooper Bay and Naknek, Alaska (770 mile trunk). Quintillion indicates the project’s name is the Nome to Homer Express (NTHE). Quintillion adds that it will extend its existing subsea and terrestrial network south from Nome, Emmonak, and Hooper Bay, then to Naknek, and then terrestrially from Naknek to Igiugig (86.67 miles), then at Igiugig transitioning to leased fiber onward to Homer. The NTHE will consist of these nine segments: T1: Nome cable landing station (CLS) to Nome beach manhole (BMH), 24 fiber pairs S1: Nome BMH to Emmonak Branching Unit (BU), 8 fiber pairs S2: Emmonak BU to Emmonak BMH, 2 fiber pairs T2: Emmonak BMH to Emmonak, 24 fiber pairs S3: Emmonak BU to Naknek BMH, 8 fiber pairs T3: Naknek BMH to King Salmon, 24 fiber pairs T4: King Salmon to Igiugig BMH, 24 fiber pairs S2b: Hooper Bay BU to Hooper Bay BMH, 2 fiber pairs T7: Hooper Bay BMH to Hooper Bay CLS, 24 fiber pairs The Hooper Bay BU is incorporated within the S3 segment. Each fiber pair has a design capacity of 10 Tbps. Quintillion states that the new landings will support communities within its service region with a diverse, resilient, low latency, competitive pathway to U.S. and global interconnectivity and cloud services. Ownership of the New Segments and Landing Stations. Quintillion will continue to own, control, and operate all portions of, and have 100% voting interest in, the Quintillion System including, but not limited to, all cable landing stations, all equipment, all wet plant, all dry plant, and each segment of the cable system, whether located in territory subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, U.S. territorial waters, or in the high seas. Quintillion also states that no other entity or individual will hold any direct voting or ownership interest in any portion of the Quintillion System. Regulatory Status of the Cable. Quintillion will continue to operate the cable on a non-common carrier basis. See Quintillion Grant PN. Conditions. Quintillion shall comply with the routine conditions specified in section 1.767(g) of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR § 1.767(g). Quintillion shall also continue to comply with its obligations under the 2024 NSA. The 2024 NSA may be viewed on the FCC’s website through the International Communications Filings System by searching for SCL-MOD-20250930-00070 and accessing the “Pleadings and Page 4 of 5 Comments” from the Document Viewing Area. A failure to comply and/or remain in compliance with any of these commitments or undertakings shall constitute a failure to meet a condition of the authorization and thus grounds for declaring the authorization terminated without further action on the part of the Commission. Failure to meet a condition of the authorization may also result in monetary sanctions or other enforcement action by the Commission. This authorization is without prejudice to the Commission’s action in any related proceedings. SCL-AMD-20260105-00004 S250399 Quintillion Subsea Operations, LLC Date filed: 2026-01-06 Amendment Grant of Authority Date of Action: 2026-04-01 See discussion of ICFS File No. SCL-MOD-20250930-00070 in this Public Notice. Page 5 of 5