Establishment of Policies and Service Rules for the Broadcasting-Satellite Service

In this Order on Reconsideration, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) reconsiders, in part, sua sponte, its Report and Order in this proceeding in which it adopted processing and service rules for the 17/24 GHz Broadcasting-Satellite Service (BSS). In the Report and Order, the Commission adopted a framework in which 17/24 GHz BSS space stations would operate at orbital locations spaced at four- degree intervals, as set forth in Appendix F of the Report and Order. In this Order on Reconsideration, the Commission provides additional flexibility to 17/24 GHz BSS space station operators by allowing them to operate their space stations, upon request, at locations other than those specified in Appendix F of the Report and Order. Specifically, the Commission will assign space stations to orbital locations that are offset from the Appendix F locations by up to one degree, without requiring them to reduce power or accept additional interference, if there are no licensed or prior-filed applications for 17/24 GHz BSS space stations less than four degrees away from the proposed offset space station.