Section 27.73 - WCS, AMT, and Goldstone coordination requirementsThis section requires Wireless Communications Services (WCS) licensees in the 2305-2320 MHz and 2345-2360 MHz bands, respectively, to coordinate the deployment of base and fixed stations (except fixed customer premises equipment) with the Goldstone, CA Deep Space Network (DSN) facility in the 2290-2300 MHz band and with Aeronautical Mobile Telemetry (AMT) facilities in the 2360-2395 MHz band; and to take all practicable steps necessary to minimize the risk of harmful interference to AMT and DSN facilities.
(a) WCS licensees operating base and fixed stations in the 2345-2360 MHz band must, prior to operation of such stations, achieve a mutually satisfactory coordination agreement with the AMT entity(ies) (i.e., FCC licensee(s) and/or Federal operator(s)) for any AMT receiver facility within 45 kilometers or radio line of sight, whichever distance is larger, of the intended WCS base or fixed station location. The coordinator for the assignment of flight test frequencies in the 2360-2390 MHz band, Aerospace and Flight Test Radio Coordination Council (AFTRCC) or successors of AFTRCC, will facilitate a mutually satisfactory coordination agreement between the WCS licensee(s) and AMT entity(ies) for existing AMT receiver sites. The locations of current Federal and non-Federal AMT receiver sites may be obtained from AFTRCC at Post Office Box 12822 Wichita, KS 67277-2822, (316) 946-8826, or successor frequency coordinators of AFTRCC. Such coordination agreement shall provide protection to existing AMT receiver stations consistent with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Recommendation ITU-R M.1459, "Protection criteria for telemetry systems in the aeronautical mobile service and mitigation techniques to facilitate sharing with geostationary broadcasting-satellite and mobile-satellite services in the frequency bands 1 452-1 525 MHz and 2 310-2 360 MHz May 2000 edition," adopted May 2000, as adjusted using generally accepted engineering practices and standards to take into account the local conditions and operating characteristics of the applicable AMT and WCS facilities. ITU-R M.1459 is incorporated by reference into this section with the approval of the Director of the Federal Register under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51 . This incorporation by reference (IBR) material is available for inspection at the FCC and at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Contact the FCC through the Federal Communications Commission's Reference Information Center, phone: (202) 418-0270. For information on the availability of this material at NARA, visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html or email fr.inspection@nara.gov. The material may be obtained from ITU, Place des Nations, 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland; website: www.itu.int/en/publications/Pages/default.aspx.(b) WCS licensees operating base and fixed stations in the 2305-2320 MHz band must, prior to operation of such stations, achieve a mutually satisfactory coordination agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) within 145 kilometers of the Goldstone, CA earth station site (35°25'33" N, 116°53'23" W).(c) After base or fixed station operations commence, upon receipt of a complaint of harmful interference, the WCS licensee(s) receiving the complaint, no matter the distance from the NASA Goldstone, CA earth station or from an AMT site, operating in the 2305-2320 or 2345-2360 MHz bands, respectively, shall take all practicable steps to immediately eliminate the interference.(d)Duty to cooperate. WCS licensees, AFTRCC, and NASA must cooperate in good faith in the coordination and deployment of new facilities. WCS licensees must also cooperate in good faith in the selection and use of new station sites and new frequencies when within radio line of site of AMT receiver facilities to reduce the risk of harmful interference and make the most effective use of the authorized facilities. Licensees of stations suffering or causing harmful interference must cooperate in good faith and resolve such problems by mutually satisfactory arrangements. If the licensees are unable to do so, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, in consultation with the Office of Engineering and Technology and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration may impose restrictions including specifying the transmitter power, antenna height, or area or hours of operation of the stations.75 FR 45072, Aug. 2, 2010, as amended at 78 FR 9622, Feb. 11, 2013; 85 FR 64407, Oct. 13, 2020; 88 FR 21442, Apr. 10, 2023 85 FR 64407, 10/13/2020; 88 FR 21442, 4/10/2023