FCC Makes Changes to Satellite Application Processing. September 21, 2023

 

• 

https://www.satellitetoday.com/government-military/2023/09/21/fcc-makes-changes-to-satellite-application-processing/   FCC Makes Changes to Satellite Application Processing The FCC adopted new rules on Thursday that it says will speed up processing for space and earth station applications. FCC Chairwoman said in a……[continued]   FCC Makes Changes to Satellite Application Processing By Rachel Jewett | September 21, 2023 FacebookTwitterLinkedInPrintShare Federal Communications Commission seal. Photo: Creative Commons license/jeanbaptisteparis via Flickr The FCC adopted new rules on Thursday that it says will speed up processing for space and earth station applications. FCC Chairwoman said in a statement that the FCC currently has applications pending for more than 56,000 satellites — double the number of applications it had four years ago. These new rules will help the commission deal with the number of applications.  The FCC has not yet released the final Report and Order, but announced that the new rules allow Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) license holders the flexibility to have more than one unbuilt system without their applications being dismissed.  This was an issue that a number of satellite operators weighed in on during public comment, including SpaceX, Amazon, OneWeb, Iridium, and Viasat. In a recent filing to the FCC, SpaceX argued that this rule change “will facilitate additional innovation and equitable participation in processing rounds without increasing the risk of speculative applications.” SpaceX advised the FCC to seek further comment on how to reform its unbuilt system rule for applications filed within a single processing round, arguing that applicants may have legitimate reasons to apply for separate systems within a single processing round. Viasat and Iridium argued against eliminating the rule, arguing that speculative applications could ‘warehouse’ orbital resources.  Amazon called for the FCC to “soften” the rule: “Softening and taking a pragmatic approach to the rule without eliminating it would encourage innovation and deployment, improve the licensing process, and preserve the integrity of the processing round approach without inviting speculative applications,” in a recent filing.   The new rules approved Thursday also establish timeframes for placing space and earth station applications on notice for public comment, permits applicants to apply for authority to operate in frequencies in bands where there is not an international allocation for satellite services, and and streamlines how the commission processes earth station operators’ requests to add space stations as points of communication.  The FCC is still seeking comment on a number of issues including printing and maintaining a paper copy of a license, and establishing time frames or “shot clocks.”  Rosenworcel said this move is part of a “new era” in how the FCC deals with the satellite industry to encourage innovation. The FCC’s Space Bureau is also establishing a transparency initiative with FAQs and workshops to give more applicants information to help them file.  “It is a new era so we eliminate old rules that no longer meet the moment and establish clear timeframes for placing space and earth station applications on public notice.  This makes our process easier to understand for existing players and new entrants alike,” Rosenworcel said.  Thursday’s decision came from the FCC after it opened this issue in December 2022.

All. Important Update: Corporate Transparency Act and Beneficial Owner's Information Reporting

BEMA International nonprofit, and organization members

Please consider your filing information starting January 2024.

BEMA International

Upcoming changes brought about by the Corporate Transparency Act and its impact on millions of small businesses. Starting January 1, 2024, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), in an effort to crack down on criminals and other bad actors laundering illicit funds through the United States using shell and front companies, will institute a reporting requirement that identifies two categories of individuals: the beneficial owners of a newly formed entity (or Reporting Company) , and individuals who have filed an application with specified governmental authorities to create the entity or register it to do business (Company Applicant). Which types of organizations are considered reporting companies? The final rule states that BOI Reports must be filed by domestic reporting companies and foreign reporting companies. A domestic reporting company is defined as an entity that is a corporation, LLC, or other entity created by filing documents with a secretary of state or similar office under state or tribal laws. A foreign reporting company is an entity created under foreign law and registered to do business in the US by filing documents with a secretary of state or similar office. Please note that certain entities are exempt from being considered "Reporting Companies." These include entities such as securities reporting issuers, governmental authorities, banks, credit unions, and others listed in the final rule. Understanding whether your entity needs to file a Beneficial Ownership Information Report involves a two-step process: determining the entity's classification and then checking if it falls within the exemptions outlined by the Corporate Transparency Act and FinCEN regulations. ALLl individuals owning, managing, or advising entities are encouraged to review these requirements and exemptions before January 1, 2024. How is Beneficial Owner defined? A "Beneficial Owner" of a Reporting Company is any individual who directly or indirectly exercises substantial control over the company or owns or controls at least 25 percent of the ownership interests of such Reporting Company. How is Company Applicant defined? FinCEN will collect the information for 2 Company Applicants at most for any BOI Report. The Company Applicant will always be the individual who directly files the document that creates the Reporting Company (or for foreign reporting companies, it's the individual who directly files the document that first registers the Reporting Company). For both domestic and foreign Reporting Company scenarios, if there is a secondary individual primarily responsible for directing or controlling the filing, such individual is also considered a Company Applicant.

 

bEMA International Washington, D.C.  20020
Cooperation, Collaboration, Communication, Coordination, Community engagement, and  Partnering (C5&P)
A 501 (c) 3 organization