Attachment STA Request

This document pretains to SES-STA-20110126-00059 for Special Temporal Authority on a Satellite Earth Station filing.

IBFS_SESSTA2011012600059_862484

REQUEST FOR SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY Call Signs E100119 and E100122 DIRECTV Enterprises, LLC ("DIRECTV") hereby requests Special Temporary Authority ("STA") for 60 days beginning January 31, 2011 to conduct on—site performance verification testing of the 9.2—meter Ka—band earth station antennas recently installed at DIRECTV‘s uplink facilities in Washington while its license applications are being processed (see IBFS File Nos. SES—LIC—20101029—01371 and —01373). These earth station antennas are designed to communicate with DIRECTV‘s growing Ka—band satellite fleet. DIRECTV filed its applications in October, and the last public comment period closed over a month ago. No comments were filed in either of these proceedings, so the applications are unopposed. However, DIRECTV understands that, although the 28.3 5—28.6 and 29.25—29.5 GHz bands DIRECTV seeks to use are not available for terrestrial use,l a limited number of terrestrial authorizations issued prior to July 1996 for temporary fixed operations in several bands, including 27.5—29.5 GHz, remain outstanding." Under the Commission‘s rules, such temporary operations may be conducted at a given location for a period of no more than six months, and are subject to prior coordination with existing licensees, permittees, and applicants in the area whose facilities could affect or be affected by such temporary operations.3 Moreover, the operator is required to notify the Commission at least five days prior to installation of such temporary facilities, providing the location and operational parameters for its system and confirmation that required coordination with earth station facilities has been completed." Although DIRECTV has been operating other antennas in this band at these locations for several years, at no time has it experienced interference from a terrestrial wireless system, been informed that it has caused interference to a terrestrial wireless system, or been approached for coordination with a terrestrial wireless system. Nor has DIRECTV been able to find any evidence in the Commission‘s records of a notification of temporary authorizations in the relevant band in the area near DIRECTV‘s earth station sites. Accordingly, DIRECTV has no reason to believe that operation of its earth stations would have any effect whatsoever on temporary terrestrial facilities licensed in the band. ! See 47 CF.R. §§ 101.101, 101.147(a) (2007) (listing frequencies available for fixed wireless use in this band as 27.5—28.35 GHz and 29.1—29.25 GHz). See id.,§ 101.4. Such systems are subject to the requirements under Part 21 as in effect in July 1996. ‘ See 47 C.F.R. §§ 21.706(d), 21.707(a) (1995). See also 47 C.F.R. §§ 101.31(a)(i), 101.103(d) (2007) (apply same requirements today). 4 See 47 CFR. § 21.708 (1995).

Nonetheless, DIRECTV understands that this issue continues to delay processing of its applications. In order to conduct testing of its already—constructed earth stations while this issue is being resolved, DIRECTV requests the STAs described herein. During these tests, the earth stations will communicate with DIRECTV‘s Ka—band satellites at either 99° W.L. or 103° W.L within the parameters set forth in the above referenced applications. In addition, DIRECTV will test the antenna‘s ability to sustain full—power operations over an extended period (approximately 24 hours), as well as its de—icing capabilities. For this part of the testing, DIRECTV will point the antenna to zenith which, for the location of the antennas under consideration here, will direct the main beam of the antenna well away from the geostationary arc. DIRECTV will, of course, operate on a non—interference basis and immediately discontinue transmissions if alerted to any problems. The requested STAs would serve the public interest by allowing DIRECTV to perform the testing necessary to establish the performance of its earth station antennas and resolve any issues in preparation to operate the above referenced earth stations on a commercial basis. DIRECTV therefore respectfully requests that the Commission grant this STA request as expeditiously as possible.


Document Created: 2019-04-23 16:28:20
Document Modified: 2019-04-23 16:28:20
© 2024 FCC.report
This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FCC