CFR

25.103—Definitions.

(a) Communications common carrier. The term “communications common carrier” as used in this part means any person (individual, partnership, association, joint-stock company, trust, corporation, or other entity) engaged as a common carrier for hire, in interstate or foreign communication by wire or radio or in interstate or foreign radio transmission of energy, including such carriers as are described in sub section 2(b) (2) and (3) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and, in addition, for purposes of subpart H of this part, includes any individual, partnership, association, joint-stock company, trust, corporation, or other entity which owns or controls, directly or indirectly, or is under direct or indirect common control with, any such carrier.

(b) Authorized carrier. The term “authorized carrier” means a communications common carrier which is authorized by the Federal Communications Commission under the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, to provide services by means of communications satellites.

(c) Communications satellite corporation. (1) The terms “communications satellite corporation” or “corporation” as used in this part mean the corporation created pursuant to the provisions of Title III of the Communications Satellite Act of 1962.

(2) The corporation shall be deemed to be a common carrier within the meaning of section 3(10) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

(d) Communication-satellite earth station complex. The term communication-satellite earth station complex includes transmitters, receivers, and communications antennas at the earth station site together with the interconnecting terrestrial facilities (cables, lines, or microwave facilities) and modulating and demodulating equipment necessary for processing of traffic received from the terrestrial distribution system(s) prior to transmission via satellite and of traffic received from the satellite prior to transfer of channels of communication to terrestrial distribution system(s).

(e) Communication-satellite earth station complex functions. The communication-satellite earth station complex interconnects with terminal equipment of common carriers or authorized entities at the interface; accepts traffic from such entities at the interface, processes for transmission via satellite and performs the transmission function; receives traffic from a satellite or satellites, processes it in a form necessary to deliver channels of communication to terrestrial common carriers or such other authorized entities and delivers the processed traffic to such entities at the interface.

(f) Interface. The point of interconnection between two distinct but adjacent communications systems having different functions. The interface in the communication-satellite service is that point where communications terminal equipment of the terrestrial common carriers or other authorized entities interconnects with the terminal equipment of the communication-satellite earth station complex. The interface in the communication-satellite service shall be located at the earth station site, or if this is impracticable, as close thereto as possible.

(g) Emergency call center (ECC). A facility that subscribers of satellite commercial mobile radio services call when in need of emergency assistance by dialing “911” on their mobile satellite earth terminal.

[28 FR 13037, Dec. 5, 1963, as amended at 31 FR 3289, Mar. 2, 1966; 68 FR 63997, Nov. 12, 2003; 69 FR 6582, Feb. 11, 2004]

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