International Bureau Clarifies Surety Bond Requirement

A geostationary satellite system operator granted U.S. market access must keep a big enough surety bond on file to cover the amount due to the Treasury Department in the event of a default, until the FCC International Bureau determines it has met milestones laid out in agency rules Section 25.164, the bureau said in a public notice in Thursday's Daily Digest. Not maintaining that bond for the required amount will void the U.S. market access grant without any FCC action, the bureau said, saying the PN is to clarify revised milestone and bond provisions set in the agency's 2015 update of Part 25 satellite rules (see 1512170036).