WASHINGTON—Once and for all, compensation for integrated receivers/decoders (IRDs) will not be included in the Final Cost Catalog for C-band transition expenses, as the FCC has formally denied an appeal from ACA Connects to do so.
In a Memorandum Opinion and Order, the FCC says that the cost catalog “was consistent with the directives and policy goals of the 3.7 GHz Report and Order and implementing rules, was compliant with the procedural requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act and the commission’s ex parte rules and was based on ample evidence that supports its factual findings.”
The commission said the ACAC failed to provide evidence that the approach for reimbursement would not provide adequate coverage for C-band transition costs.
This issue goes back to July when the cost catalog was released and ACAC, who represents small and mid-sized cable/broadband providers, first argued that the reimbursement for IRDs was paramount to many stations' C-band transition. Despite this call, the Wireless Bureau did not include the cost of IRDs in the Final Cost Catalog.
Including the IRD costs would make it easier for cable ops to move to fiber delivery, but the FCC said the lump sum was meant to approximate the cost of moving earth stations, not moving to a new distribution technology.
The FCC concluded that the costs of integrated IRDS should be attributed to space station operators, not earth station operators and that the lumps sum payment process was "procedurally sound."
ACAC ultimately attempted to go through the courts to stay the deadline for when C-band participants were required to choose whether they would accept a lump sum payment for the transition, but the court chose to deny ACAC’s effort.
The C-band auction is scheduled to take place on Dec. 8.
The full FCC Memorandum and Order is available online.
