The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today adopted rules for satellite earth stations on vessels (ESVs) in the C- and Ku-bands. The commission said these rules would provide regulatory certainty to ESV licensees while protecting existing users. The specific text of the rules was not immediately made available by the commission, which voted to adopt it during a commission meeting today.

ESVs generally consist of a network operations center, one or more land-based gateway earth stations and a number of earth stations on vessels. ESV networks can provide telecommunications services, including Internet access, to users on cruise and merchant ships, ferries, barges and other vessels.

“Today’s order allows ESVs to continue to operate in the C- and Ku-bands, but requires ESV operators to protect fixed terrestrial and fixed satellite service incumbents from interference and requires operators in both bands to collect and maintain vessel tracking data to assist in identifying and resolving sources of interference,” FCC Chairman Michael Powell said in a prepared statement issued after the order was adopted.