DA 00-1358
                                                               


Report No. SPB-157                                          June 21, 2000
               
WRC-2000 Adopts Mandatory Electronic Filing and Other Provisions Effecting Satellite
                            Networks
                                

The World Radiocommunication Conference (Istanbul, 2000) adopted a number of new and modified
provisions in the Radio Regulations that effect satellite network filings submitted to the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU).  They are briefly described below.

     I.   Mandatory Electronic Filing
As of 3 June 2000, submission of Advance Publication Information (API), requests for coordination and
notifications are required to be provided in the electronic form developed by the ITU (known as
SPACECAP).  All alphanumeric data are to be provided in this electronic form; however, graphical
information (antenna patterns, coverage contours, etc.) will continue to be accepted in paper form.  The
mandatory electronic form applies to all submissions received by the ITU on 3 June 2000 and there after.

The FCC will no longer accept filings destined for the ITU unless they are in the form described above. 
For those filings submitted to the FCC completely in paper form prior to 3 June 2000, the Commission
will forward those to the ITU.  However, such filings must be followed by a duplicate filing in electronic
form received by the ITU no later than 3 October 2000 if the submitter wishes to maintain the date of
receipt at ITU of the paper filing.

     II.  Identification of satellite networks by the ITU
In addition to identifying administrations with whom coordination may be necessary, the ITU is now
required by a new provision adopted by WRC-2000 (S9.36.2) to identify the individual satellite networks
triggering the coordination with an administration. This requirement will be applied to filings in the ITU
satellite network backlog that have not been published and to new submissions. Consequently, any U.S.
comments in response to another administration's filing will need to be satellite network specific in order
to protect relevant U.S. satellite network filings.


     III. New coordination trigger for GSO FSS in congested bands
WRC-2000 adopted three orbital arc separations as the triggers for determining satellite networks with
which coordination is necessary in specific bands in three portions of the spectrum allocated to the fixed-
satellite service (FSS).  The coordination arc and specific bands are:

     3400-4200 MHz            +/- 10 degrees
     5725-5850 MHz (Region 1)
     5850-6725 MHz
     
     10.95-11.2 GHz                +/- 9 degrees
     11.45-11.7 GHz
     11.7-12.2 GHz (Region 2)
     12.2-12.5 GHz (Region 3)
     12.5-12.75 GHz (Regions 1 and 3)
     12.7-12.75 GHz (Region 2)     
     13.75-14.5 GHz
     
     17.7-20.2 GHz                 +/- 8 degrees
     27.5-30.0 GHz
     
Geostationary FSS networks within these arcs and bands are required to coordinate while those networks
outside the specified coordination arc are not required to coordinate. Networks within or without the arc
may be included or excluded in a particular coordination case. This will be identified by the concerned
administrations based on whether the noise temperature (delta-T/T) exceeds or does not exceed,
respectively, the value of 6%. The coordination arc trigger will also be applied to the backlog where the
coordination request for the network has yet to be published.

     IV.  Deletion of satellite network overall link characteristics
For the same bands and service above, WRC-2000 also eliminated the requirement to provide the satellite
network overall link characteristics (strapping table and noise/gamma table).  This information was deemed
as unnecessary in view of the coordination arc trigger and the separate analyses of uplink and downlink
noise temperature increases rather than a combined analysis of total system noise temperature increase.

All the foregoing provisions are effective from 3 June 2000.


     V.   Requirement to notify
WRC-2000 also adopted a new provision (S11.44.1) effective 1 January 2002 that requires the frequency
assignments for a satellite network whose Advance Publication Information (API) was received on or
after 22 November 1997 to be notified within seven years from the date of receipt of the API. For those
networks whose APIs were received prior to 22 November 1997, the corresponding period is nine years
from the date of publication of the API.  For networks that have been brought into use without
completing coordination, for which the administrative due diligence information under Resolution 49
(WRC-97) has been submitted, and are beyond the nine years limit to notify, administrations will have
until 1 January 2002 to submit the required satellite network notifications to the ITU.  For more
information, contact Larry Reed or John Martin of the Satellite Engineering Branch, Radio and
Communication Division, at (202) 418-0749.

                            --FCC--