ACA Encourages Its Members To Register Within The 90-Day Window
PITTSBURGH, April 19, 2018 – American Cable Association President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement regarding a Public Notice released by the International, Wireless Telecommunications, and Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureaus of the Federal Communications Commission, announcing a 90-day window in which currently operational unregistered receive-only earth stations using the C-Band may register for limited protection from interference without submitting a costly spectrum coordination report:
“ACA thanks the Bureaus for taking into account concerns raised by ACA that the cost of registering the thousands of earth stations operated by ACA members – upwards of $1,200 per station – is prohibitively expensive, particularly for the smallest providers, and unnecessary as a practical matter. By providing a window in which mutichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) can register their earth stations without submitting an expensive spectrum coordination report, the FCC has lowered the cost of registration by roughly $700 or 60%. Today’s action also greatly reduces the complexity of the process.
“As ACA previously explained to the FCC, this relief will motivate its members to register their stations for the first time, which will ultimately help the FCC understand where and how the C-Band is currently used, and how the band can best be made available for other uses. ACA appreciates today’s action, which demonstrates the Bureaus’ appreciation for the need to provide incumbent users with at least some protection from future interference, particularly cable operators who use the C-Band to obtain the video programming they provide to their customers. We encourage all ACA members to take advantage of this one-time opportunity and register their earth stations immediately.”
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing about 800 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for nearly 7 million cable subscribers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit https://acaconnects.org/