Attachment Narrative

This document pretains to SES-STA-20110804-00922 for Special Temporal Authority on a Satellite Earth Station filing.

IBFS_SESSTA2011080400922_910382

Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20554 ) File No. SES-STA-20110525-00622 ) File No. SES-STA-20110630-00781 ) File No. SES-STA-________-_____ In the Matter of ) Call Sign E050017 ) ECHOSTAR BROADCASTING CORPORATION ) File No. SES-STA-20110525-00623 ) File No. SES-STA-20110630-00782 Application for Renewal of Special ) File No. SES-STA-________-_____ Temporary Authority to Operate Three ) Call Sign E070273 Transmit/Receive Earth Stations with ) EchoStar 6 at 76.95º W.L. ) File No. SES-STA-20110525-00624 ) File No. SES-STA-20110630-00780 ) File No. SES-STA-________-_____ ) Call Sign E980081 ) ) ) APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL OF SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY By this Application, and pursuant to Section 25.120(a)(3), EchoStar Broadcasting Corporation (“EBC”) requests renewal of its special temporary authority (“STA”) to operate three earth stations with the EchoStar 6 satellite at 76.95 W.L. as follows: (1) to operate two transmit/receive earth stations (Call Signs E070273 and E980081) to provide only telemetry, tracking, and control (“TT&C”); and (2) to operate one transmit/receive earth station (Call Sign E050017) to provide both TT&C and feeder link communications. 1 The current STAs for each of the earth stations expire on August 7, 2011,2 August 11, 2011,3 and August 11, 2011,4 respectively. 1 See 47 C.F.R. § 25.120(b)(3). 2 See Stamp Grant, File No. File No. SES-STA-20110630-00782, Call Sign E070273 (granted July 7, 2011).

EchoStar 6 arrived at the 76.95 W.L. orbital location on February 13, 2011, and began providing service on February 14, 2011.5 The relocation was prompted by a single event upset (“SEU”) that temporarily affected the EchoStar 8 satellite.6 On March 14, 2011, EchoStar filed an application to transfer EchoStar 6 to QuetzSat, S. de R.L. de C.V. (“QuetzSat”), which will operate the satellite under Mexican authority from the 76.95 W.L. orbital location.7 EchoStar also filed an application (“Blanket Earth Station Application”) to modify its blanket earth station authorization to provide service from the Mexican-licensed EchoStar 6 satellite.8 This renewal STA request is necessary to allow the continued operation of EchoStar 6 while these applications remain pending.9 3 See Stamp Grant, File No. File No. SES-STA-20110630-00780, Call Sign E980081 (granted July 7, 2011). 4 See Stamp Grant, File No. File No. SES-STA-20110630-00781, Call Sign E050017 (granted July 7, 2011). 5 See Stamp Grant, File Nos. SAT-STA-20110207-00026 (granted Feb. 11, 2011); SAT- STA-20110225-00036 (granted Mar. 1, 2011); SAT-STA-20110401-00067 (granted Apr. 7, 2011); SAT-STA-20110608-00104 (granted June 14, 2011). EchoStar Satellite Operating Corporation will also file an application to renew its current special temporary authority to operate EchoStar 6 at 76.95º W.L. 6 See Letter from Petra A. Vorwig, Counsel for EchoStar Corporation, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, filed in File No. SAT-T/C-20090217-00026 (Feb. 1, 2011). 7 See File No. SAT-T/C-20110314-00054 (filed Mar. 14, 2011). That application was filed subject to the then-pending pro forma assignment of the satellite to EchoStar Satellite Operating Corporation. See Radio Station Authorization, File No. SAT-ASG-20110224-00033 (granted Apr. 21, 2011). 8 See File No. SES-MFS-20110314-00288 (filed Mar. 14, 2011) (“Blanket Earth Station Application”). See also File Nos. SES-MFS-20110314-00291, SES-MFS-20110314-00290, SES-MFS-20110314-00289 (modifying the above referenced earth station licenses). These applications were filed subject to the proposed pro forma assignment. 9 The Mexican concessionaire for the 77 W.L. orbital location informed COFETEL of EchoStar 6’s relocation, and COFETEL “expressed no objection to placement of the Echo 6 satellite in the 77 W cluster.” See Letter from Ricardo Ríos Ferrer, Legal Representative, -2-

I. BACKGROUND The nominal 77º W.L. orbital location is allotted to Mexico under the Region 2 Broadcasting-Satellite Service plan set forth in Appendices 30 and 30A to the International Radio Regulations. In addition to the EchoStar 6 satellite, EchoStar currently operates three Direct Broadcast Satellites (“DBS”) at the nominal 77° W.L. orbital location under Mexican authority issued to its partner, QuetzSat: EchoStar 1, EchoStar 4, and EchoStar 8. The satellites are used by EchoStar’s customers, DISH Network L.L.C. (“DISH”) and DISH Mexico, to provide DBS service in the United States and Mexico, respectively. The U.S. service includes local-into-local programming in a number of markets in the southern United States. EchoStar 6, operating with EchoStar 1 and EchoStar 8 at 77 W.L., provides sufficient capacity to avoid service disruptions from that slot in the event any of the satellites experience a problem. EchoStar 1, a satellite launched in December 1995, has limited capability (only up to 16 transponders), and EchoStar 4, having reached the end of its design life, has been retired from commercial service and deorbited.10 II. GRANT OF THIS APPLICATION IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST This STA request is in the public interest for the reasons set forth in the Satellite STA Application and the Blanket Earth Station Application, which are incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, grant of this application will ensure the continued safe operation of EchoStar 6 at the 76.95 W.L. orbital location. Grant of this application will not cause harmful QuetzSat, S. de R.L. de C.V., to EchoStar Satellite Service LLC (Feb. 4, 2011), filed in File No. SAT-STA-20110207-00026, Attachment 2. 10 The Commission recently granted special temporary authority for EchoStar 4 to execute end-of-life maneuvers to boost the satellite to a disposal orbit. See Public Notice, DA No. 11-1196 (rel. July 11, 2011) (notice grant of EchoStar Satellite Operating Corporation, File No. SAT-STA-20110627-00122). -3-

interference because EBC will operate the earth stations to conduct TT&C operations and feeder link communications while EchoStar 6 is operating at 76.95 W.L. in accordance with the conditions imposed on the original grant held by EchoStar.11 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, EBC hereby waives any claim to the use of any particular frequency or 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. IV. CONCLUSION For the foregoing reasons, EBC respectfully requests the grant of its application for renewal of its special temporary authority to operate two transmit/receive earth stations (Call Signs E070273 and E980081) to provide TT&C service, and to operate one transmit/receive earth station (Call Sign E050017) to provide both TT&C service and feeder link communications, for EchoStar 6 at 76.95° W.L. 11 See Stamp Grant, File Nos. SES-STA-20110207-00120; SES-STA-20110207-00121; SES-STA-20110207-00122 (granted Feb. 10, 2011). -4-

Respectfully submitted, /s/ Pantelis Michalopoulos Alison Minea L. Lisa Sandoval Corporate Counsel Steptoe & Johnson LLP EchoStar Broadcasting Corporation 1330 Connecticut Avenue, NW 1110 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 750 Washington, D.C. 20036 Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) 429-3000 (202) 293-0981 Counsel for EchoStar Broadcasting Corporation August 4, 2011 -5-


Document Created: 2011-08-04 12:48:56
Document Modified: 2011-08-04 12:48:56
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