SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This document announces that OMB approved the information collection requirements in 47 CFR 27.1412(e) and 27.1419 on September 21, 2026. The Commission publishes this document as an announcement of the effective date for these amended rules.

Synopsis

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507), the Commission is notifying the public that it received final OMB approval on September 21, 2026, for the information collection requirements contained in 47 CFR 27.1412(e) and 27.1419. Under 5 CFR part 1320, an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a current, valid OMB Control Number.

No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act that does not display a current, valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 3060-1272. The foregoing notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, October 1, 1995, and 44 U.S.C. 3507.

The total annual reporting burdens and costs for the respondents are as follows:

OMB Control Number: 3060-1272.

Title: 3.7 GHz Band Space Station Operator Transition Plans; 3.7 GHz ( printed page 66011) Band Incumbent Earth Station Lump Sum Payment Elections.

OMB Approval Date: September 21, 2026.

OMB Expiration Date: March 31, 2027.

Form Number: N/A.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Estimated Number of Respondents and Responses: 3,003 respondents and 3,003 responses.

Estimated Hours per Response: 2,720 hours per eligible space station transition plan; 32 hours per incumbent earth station lump sum payment election.

Frequency of Response: One-time reporting requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in sections 1, 2, 4(i), 4(j), 5(c), 201, 302, 303, 304, 307(e), and 309 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 154(i), 154(j), 155(c), 201, 302, 303, 304, 307(e), and 309.

Total Annual Burden: 104,160 hours.

Total Annual Cost: $540,000.

Needs and Uses

On July 22, 2026, in furtherance of the goal of releasing more mid-band spectrum into the market to support and enable next-generation wireless networks, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopted a Report and Order, FCC 26-46, 91 FR 48700 ( Upper C-band R&O), in which it reformed the use of the 4.0-4.2 GHz portion of the C-Band. The 4.0-4.2 GHz band currently is allocated in the United States exclusively for non-Federal use on a primary basis for Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) and Fixed Service.

Domestically, space station operators use the 4.0-4.2 GHz band to provide downlink signals of various bandwidths to licensed transmit-receive, registered receive-only, and unregistered receive-only earth stations throughout the United States. The Upper C-band R&O calls for the relocation of existing FSS operations in the C-band, making 160 megahertz (3.98-4.14 GHz) available for flexible-use terrestrial wireless service throughout the contiguous United States through a Commission-administered public auction of licenses that must be completed by July 4, 2027, pursuant to a statutory mandate in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Public Law 119-21, section 40002(b)(2).

The Commission adopted a robust transition schedule to achieve an expeditious clearing and relocation of FSS operations and ensure that a significant amount of spectrum is made available quickly for next-generation wireless deployments, while also ensuring effective accommodation of relocated incumbent users. Pursuant to the Upper C-band R&O, all incumbent FSS operations in the contiguous United States must clear the 4.0-4.16 GHz portion of the C-band by December 30, 2030, or June 30, 2031, to ensure a timely transition process. The December 30 deadline applies to the top 75 Partial Economic Areas (PEAs) and aligns with the Federal Aviation Administration's first deadline to retrofit aircraft radio altimeters. The June 30 deadline applies to all other areas.

The Commission concluded in the Upper C-band R&O that, before the public auction of new licenses commences, it is appropriate for potential bidders to: (1) know when they will get access to the spectrum in the 3.98-4.14 GHz portion of the C-band that is currently occupied by incumbent FSS space station operators and earth stations; and (2) have an estimate of how much they may be required to pay for incumbent relocation costs and incentive payments should they become Upper C-band wireless licensees. New Upper C-band wireless licensees are required to pay for the reasonable and necessary relocation costs of incumbent space station and incumbent earth station operators that are required to clear the 4.0-4.16 GHz portion of the C-band.

To facilitate the provision of this information to potential auction bidders, the Commission is seeking approval for a modified information collection to permit it to collect the following information from incumbents as adopted in the Upper C-band R&O:

Transition Plans

The Upper C-band R&O requires each eligible space station operator to submit to the Commission by November 5, 2026, and make available for public review, a detailed transition plan describing the necessary steps and estimated costs for the eligible space station operator to clear its existing operations in the 4.0-4.16 GHz portion of the C-band in the contiguous United States and its individual timeline for doing so. An eligible space station operator may make changes to its transition plan to update certain information or cure any defects that may be identified by the Commission or by relevant stakeholders during a public comment window.

Incumbent Earth Station Lump Sum Payment Elections

The Upper C-band R&O provides an incumbent earth station operator with the option of: (1) accepting reimbursement payments for its reasonable and necessary relocation costs for the transition; or (2) in lieu of actual relocation costs, opting out of the formal relocation process and accepting a lump sum reimbursement payment for its incumbent earth stations on a per-site basis based on the average, estimated cost of relocating such incumbent earth stations. The Upper C-band R&O directs the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau to announce the lump sum that will be available per incumbent earth station as well as the process for electing lump sum payments and requires that, no later than 60 days after the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau announces the lump sum payment amounts, an incumbent earth station operator that wishes to receive a lump sum payment make an irrevocable lump sum payment election that will apply to such earth stations in the contiguous United States.

This information collection will serve as the starting point for planning and managing the process of efficiently and expeditiously clearing the 4.0-4.16 GHz portion of the C-band, so that this spectrum can be auctioned for flexible-use service licenses.

91 FR 66010