NASCA Press Release

FRIDAY 26 OCTOBER 2007

GROUP ASKS FCC TO SCRAP NEW CABLE LANDING LICENSE REGULATIONS

The North American Submarine Cable Assocation (NASCA) has asked the FCC to reconsider its new cable landing license rules, calling them "unnecessary," legally "flawed," and "unworkable at a practical level." In a consolidated petition for reconsideration and petition to defer the effective date of a new certification requirement filed yesterday in International docket 04-47, the group also said the new rules "effectively gut the Commission's submarine cable streamlining rules without any identificable regulatory benefit."

NASCA asked the Commission to rescind the new rules "as ill-conceived and sought by no one - not even by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration," which oversees the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), which the new rules are intended to implement.

The FCC ammended its cable landing license rules and application procedures so they are consistent with the CZMA in an order issued in June that modified some of its parts 1 and 63 rules applying to the provision of international telecommunications services. The order was adopted as part of the agency's 2002 biennial review.

"NASCA's petition for reconsideration consists of five parts," the group said. "First, NASCA explains that the CZMA does not require the FCC to promulgate any rules for the processing of cable landing licenses. Second, NASCA explains that because the Commission failed to account appropriately for states' authority to review 'unlisted activities,' cable landing license applicants cannot comply with the Commission's CZMA rules as adopted. Third, NASCA argues that the Commission erred in assessing the burdens and benefits of its new CZMA rules, mischaracterizing significant delays as 'minimal,' effectively gutting and trivializing its much admired streamlined processing rules for submarine cables, and failing to reconcile its new rules with Commission policies encouraging investment and infrastructure development. Fourth, NASCA argues that the Commission's new CZMA rules are, as a practical matter, unworkable. Fifth, NASCA argues that the Commission's new CZMA rules violate U.S. WTO [World Trade Organization] commitments regarding licensing criteria."- Paul Kirby, paul.kirby@wolterskluwer.com

NASCA Supports Proposal for Continued Exploration of the Hudson Submarine Canyon Region

NASCA Press Release

FRIDAY MAY 9, 2003

NORTH AMERICAN SUBMARINE CABLE ASSOCIATION SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH AT&T

MORRISTOWN, NJ – The North American Submarine Cable Association (NASCA) has signed a comprehensive nautical charting services agreement with AT&T Corp. in an effort to reduce damage to submerged telecommunications cable.

Under the agreement, AT&T will manage data and produce Cable Warning Charts that display all active commercial submarine cables in North American waters. These charts will then be provided to fishermen and other seabed operators in an effort to increase the reliability and security of the telecom cables that carry critical data and voice communications.

The centerpiece of this innovative program will be electronic Cable Warning Charts developed by AT&T, based upon Maptech electronic charts. These charts will be packaged on CDs that contain regional coverage for ease of distribution and use. Maptech electronic charts are the only National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) authorized charts on the market and are compatible with most PC-based navigational systems.

In addition to these electronic charts, AT&T will also produce and distribute paper charts for NASCA members, as required. For more information about AT&T charting services, contact Jim Murray at jamesmur@att.com.

NASCA (www.n-a-s-c-a.org.) is a non-profit trade association made up of companies that own, maintain or install submarine cables landing in North America.