§  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 subsection 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]