Attachment Narrative

This document pretains to SAT-STA-20140106-00001 for Special Temporal Authority on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATSTA2014010600001_1031924

                                    Before the
                      FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C. 20554

____________________________________
                                    )
In the Matter of                    )
                                    )
ECHOSTAR SATELLITE OPERATING        )
CORPORATION                         )                 File Nos. SAT-STA-20130626-00089
                                    )                           SAT-STA-20130626-00090
Application for Renewal of Special  )                           SAT-STA-20130626-00088
Temporary Authority to Operate on   )
Channels 1 and 2 at 61.5° W.L.      )                 Call Signs S2741, S2653, S2844
                                    )
                                    )
                                    )
____________________________________)


                            APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL OF
                           SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY

       EchoStar Satellite Operating Corporation (“ESOC,” and collectively with its affiliates,

“EchoStar”) hereby requests a renewal of its 180-day special temporary authority (“STA”) to

operate the EchoStar 3, EchoStar 12, and EchoStar 16 satellites on channels 1 and 2 at the

nominal 61.5° W.L. orbital location. The current STAs expire on February 15, 2014.1


I.     INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

       EchoStar currently operates the EchoStar 3, EchoStar 12, and EchoStar 16 satellites in

and around the 61.5º W.L. orbital cluster. The EchoStar 3 satellite, launched in 1998, was the

first satellite in position at 61.5º W.L. and is currently an in-orbit spare operating under STA at


       1
        See Stamp Grants, File Nos. SAT-STA-20130626-00089, Call Sign S2653 (granted
Aug. 15, 2013); SAT-STA-20130626-00090, Call Sign S2741 (granted Aug. 15, 2013); SAT-
STA-20130626-00088, Call Sign S2844 (granted Aug. 15, 2013).


61.8° W.L.2 EchoStar 12, launched in 2003, is located at 61.35° W.L.3 EchoStar 16, which

became operational in February 2013,4 ensures the continued full utilization of the DBS

spectrum at that orbital location.

         On June 22, 2012, the Commission granted ESOC’s applications to modify the

authorized channels on these space stations from the nominal 61.5° W.L. orbital location from

Direct Broadcast Satellite (“DBS”) service channels 1-22 and 25-32 to DBS channels 3-32, and

for 180-day STA to operate on channels 1 and 2, upon receipt of notification that EchoStar 16

had commenced operations. ESOC filed this notification on February 19, 2013.5 On August 15,

2013, the Commission granted ESOC’s applications for renewal of its STA for EchoStars 3, 12,

and 16 to operate on channels 1 and 2.6


II.      THIS REQUEST IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, IS CONSISTENT WITH PAST
         PRECEDENT, AND WILL NOT CAUSE HARMFUL INTERFERENCE

         Renewal of the 180-day STA to operate EchoStars 3, 12, and 16 on channels 1 and 2 at

the 61.5° W.L. nominal orbital location is in the public interest for the reasons set forth in the

         2
             Stamp Grant, File No. SAT-STA-20131111-00130, Call Sign S2741 (granted Dec. 24,
2013).
         3
         Stamp Grant, File No. SAT-MOD-20100310-00042, Call Sign S2653 (granted June 9,
2010); see also Narrative, File No. SAT-MOD-20130905-00113, Call Sign S2653 (filed Nov. 8,
2013) (application for renewal of authorization to operate at 61.35° W.L.).
         4
         Letter from Jaime Londono, Vice President, Advanced Programs & Spectrum
Management, EchoStar Technologies LLC, to Fern Jarmulnek, Acting Chief, Satellite Division,
International Bureau, FCC (Feb. 19, 2013) (“EchoStar 16 Letter”), filed in File No. SAT-LOA-
20110902-00172, Call Sign S2844 (stating that EchoStar 16 became operational at 61.5° W.L.
on February 14, 2013).
         5
             EchoStar 16 Letter.
         6
        See Stamp Grants, File Nos. SAT-STA-20130626-00089, Call Sign S2653 (granted
Aug. 15, 2013); SAT-STA-20130626-00090, Call Sign S2741 (granted Aug. 15, 2013); SAT-
STA-20130626-00088, Call Sign S2844 (granted Aug. 15, 2013).



                                                -2-


original STA grant, which is incorporated herein by reference.7 EchoStar will continue to

comply with the conditions on the use of the channels set forth in the original grant as follows:8


       1.        EchoStar’s use of channels 1 and 2 shall cause no harmful interference to any
                 other lawfully operating radio station, and ESOC shall cease operation on these
                 channels immediately upon notification of such interference.

       2.        EchoStar shall not claim protection from interference from any other lawfully
                 operating radio station with respect to its operations on channels 1 and 2.

       3.        EchoStar has informed its customers in writing that services using channels 1 and
                 2 from the 61.5° W.L. cluster will be discontinued upon the termination of its
                 temporary authority to operate on these channels.

       4.        EchoStar will continue to provide the required terms set forth in the original grant
                 in its monthly billing statements and marketing notifications.

       5.        EchoStar will continue to use channels 1 and 2 at the nominal 61.5° W.L. orbital
                 location only for free-standing, separate programming packages that are not
                 required as a condition of purchasing any other programming packages and that
                 are readily capable of being withdrawn on short notice.

       6.        EchoStar shall cease operations on channels 1 and 2 at the 61.5° W.L. orbital
                 location upon the launch and operation of a satellite regularly licensed to operate
                 on these channels at this location.

III.   WAIVER PURSUANT TO SECTION 304 OF THE ACT

       In accordance with Section 304 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended,

47 U.S.C. § 304, EchoStar hereby waives any claim to the use of any particular frequency or use

of the electromagnetic spectrum as against the regulatory power of the United States because of

the previous use of the same, whether by license or otherwise.




       7
           See June 2012 Order.
       8
           See id. at ¶ 11.



                                                 -3-


IV.    CONCLUSION

       For the foregoing reasons, ESOC respectfully requests the grant of its application for a

renewal of STA to operate EchoStars 3, 12, and 16 on channels 1 and 2 at the nominal 61.5°

W.L. orbital location.

                                             Respectfully submitted,


                                                       /s/
                                             Jennifer A. Manner
                                             Vice President, Regulatory Affairs
                                             EchoStar Corporation
                                             11717 Exploration Lane
                                             Germantown, MD 20817
                                             (301) 428-5893
                                             jennifer.manner@echostar.com

January 6, 2014




                                              -4-



Document Created: 2014-01-06 11:56:13
Document Modified: 2014-01-06 11:56:13

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