*Pages 1--1 from  Microsoft Word - 5488.doc*
 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 


 COMMISSION  UPHOLDS  ITS  DECISION  TO  LICENSE  INTELSAT 
 Washington,  D.  C.  -  -  The  Commission  has  denied  petitions  filed  by  PanAmSat 
 Corporation  and  GE  Americom  seeking  reconsideration  of  its  August  8,  2000  decision  (FCC  00- 
 287)  authorizing  INTELSAT  as  a  U.  S.  licensee  upon  its  privatization  in  2001.  That  decision 
 granted  INTELSAT  full  access  to  the  U.  S.  market  providing  that  it  privatizes  in  a  manner 
 consistent  with  U.  S.  law.  INTELSAT  has  since  accepted  the  FCC  licenses. 


 In  denying  reconsideration,  the  Commission  rejected  challenges  to  aspects  of  its  August  8 
 decision  that  granted  INTELSAT  waivers  of  its  technical  rules  and  authorized  it  to  operate 
 existing  and  planned  satellites  at  those  current  INTELSAT  orbital  locations  that  will  be 
 transferred  to  the  United  States.  The  Commission  also  affirmed  its  previous  determination  not  to 
 now  impose  dominant  carrier  regulation  on  INTELSAT,  and,  it  rejected  PanAmSat’s  claim  that 
 its  August  8  decision  authorizes  direct-  to-  home  services  in  violation  of  the  ORBIT  Act.  It 
 further  decided  that  specific  allegations  that  INTELSAT  is  now  providing  DTH  in  violation  of 
 the  Act  is  more  appropriately  considered  in  the  context  of  the  later  review  of  INTELSAT’s 
 privatization  plans  that  the  Commission  must  undertake  under  the  ORBIT  Act,  and, 
 independently  under  the  Commission’s  earth  station  licensing  authority. 


 Action  by  the  Commission,  December  12,  2000,  by  Order  on  Reconsideration  (FCC  00- 
 437).  Chairman  Kennard,  Commissioners  Ness,  Furchtgott-  Roth,  Powell,  and  Tristani. 


 For  further  information,  contact  James  Ball,  Office  of  the  Bureau  Chief,  International  Bureau 
 (202-  418-  0427);  Michael  McCoin,  Satellite  and  Radiocommunications  Division  (202-  418-  0774) 


 -  FCC  - 
1