Next Orbit Act Report Deadline March 23, Replies April 7

The deadline for comments for the next Open-Market Reorganization for the Betterment of International Telecommunications (Orbit) Act Report is March 23, replies April 7, the FCC International Bureau said in a public notice Tuesday in docket 17-50. The bureau said it's required by the Orbit Act to report annually to the House Commerce and International Relations committees and the Senate Commerce and Foreign Relations committees. Chairman Ajit Pai said the requirement of annually reporting on the privatization status of Inmarsat and Intelsat is pointless since the two former intergovernmental satellite organizations long have been privatized (see 1506100062).