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 NEWS  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  News  Media  Contact: 
 December  14,  2000  Rosemary  Kimball  at  (202)  418-  0511 


 FCC  PROPOSES  STEPS  TO  FACILITATE  LICENSING  OF  EARTH  STATIONS 
 The  Commission  has  proposed  steps  that,  if  adopted,  would  facilitate  licensing  of  earth 
 stations,  expediting  the  provision  of  satellite  services  to  the  public,  without  increasing  the  risk  of 
 harmful  interference  to  existing  earth  station,  space  station,  or  terrestrial  wireless  operators. 


 The  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  (Notice)  proposes  revisions  to  the  Part  25  earth 
 station  licensing  rules.  Part  25  establishes  size  and  power  standards  for  earth  station  antennas. 
 The  Notice  proposes  several  rule  revisions  to  streamline  the  filing  requirements  for  routine  and 
 non-  routine  earth  station  applications. 


 The  Notice  also  includes  proposals  for: 
 x  relaxing  power  and  power  density  requirements,  and  allowing  some  temporary  fixed  earth 
 stations  to  begin  operation  sooner;  x 
 streamlining  the  very  small  aperture  terminal  (VSAT)  rules;  and  x 
 adopting  a  simplified  license  application  form  for  "routine"  earth  stations 


 The  Commission  based  many  of  these  proposals  on  informal  comments  from  members  of 
 the  public. 


 Action  by  the  Commission  by  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking,  December  14,  2000  (FCC 
 00-  435).  Chairman  Kennard,  Commissioners  Ness,  Furchtgott-  Roth,  Powell,  and  Tristani. 


 IB  Docket  No.  00-  248. 
 International  Bureau  Contacts:  Steven  Spaeth,  (202)  418-  1539;  Ronald  Repasi,  (202) 
 418-  0768. 


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