This statement summarises the amendments we have made to update the guidance which is set out in our Procedures for the Management of Satellite Filings.
In deciding on these amendments, we are guided by the principle that we should focus our efforts on supporting the underlying aim of the ITU satellite filing regime to secure the efficient use of orbital assignments and radio frequencies which are a scarce resource. We believe this will deliver the greatest value to the UK. In doing so, we also want to keep the regulatory burden that we impose on stakeholders to the minimum necessary to achieve this overarching objective.
We consulted on nine different topics. Taking into account the comments we received from those stakeholders who responded to our consultation, we have decided:
To modify the list of deliverables an applicant must provide to Ofcom during the regulatory process of a satellite filing. We will require only those deliverables that are readily available to an applicant;
- To clarify that an applicant should promptly inform Ofcom of any changes to the business plan that may affect its project milestones or the technical parameters of the relevant filings;
- To streamline an applicant’s reporting requirements to Ofcom on its filings before and after bringing them into use. In particular, we have decided to replace six-monthly reports with annual ones. Rather than submitting a number of separate reports on each of the filings relevant to them, stakeholders can submit a single consolidated report. Our revised Procedures clarify the content we would expect in this report;
- To allow, under certain conditions, the notification of a filing even where coordination with UK and/or non-UK satellite networks is not complete;
- To clarify that Ofcom may ask the applicant to provide additional information on the satellite network following a request to bring into use the associated filing(s);
- To clarify that Ofcom’s consideration of whether to notify a satellite filing for a non-geostationary satellite system will depend on the number of satellites deployed. We will compare the number of satellites deployed to the minimum number of satellites required to provide the intended service specified in the business plan;
- To allow, under certain conditions, the transfer of ownership and control of a filing at Advanced Publication Information (API) stage; and,
- To clarify what Ofcom may do following an anomaly or relocation of a satellite, including the suspension or cancellation of the relevant frequency assignments.