---
kind: "section"
citation: "47 U.S.C. § 765"
title: "47"
title_heading: "Telecommunications"
number: "765"
heading: "Access to INTELSAT"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/47/765"
units:
  - "Chapter 6 — Communications Satellite System"
  - "Subchapter VI — Communications Competition and Privatization"
  - "Part C — Deregulation and Other Statutory Changes"
---

# §765. Access to INTELSAT

- (a) **Access permitted—** Beginning on March 17, 2000, users or providers of [telecommunications](/usc/47/702.md?p=6) services shall be permitted to obtain direct access to [INTELSAT](/usc/47/769.md?p=a-1) [telecommunications](/usc/47/702.md?p=6) services and [space segment](/usc/47/757.md?p=3) capacity through purchases of such capacity or services from [INTELSAT](/usc/47/769.md?p=a-1). Such direct access shall be at the level commonly referred to by [INTELSAT](/usc/47/769.md?p=a-1), on March 17, 2000, as “Level III”.
- (b) **Rulemaking—** Within 180 days after March 17, 2000, the [Commission](/usc/47/702.md?p=10) shall complete a rulemaking, with notice and opportunity for submission of comment by interested [persons](/usc/47/757.md?p=1), to determine if users or providers of [telecommunications](/usc/47/702.md?p=6) services have sufficient opportunity to access [INTELSAT](/usc/47/769.md?p=a-1) [space segment](/usc/47/757.md?p=3) capacity directly from [INTELSAT](/usc/47/769.md?p=a-1) to meet their service or capacity requirements. If the [Commission](/usc/47/702.md?p=10) determines that such opportunity to access does not exist, the [Commission](/usc/47/702.md?p=10) shall take appropriate action to facilitate such direct access pursuant to its authority under this chapter and the Communications Act of 1934 [[47 U.S.C. 151](/usc/47/151.md) et seq.]. The [Commission](/usc/47/702.md?p=10) shall take such steps as may be necessary to prevent the circumvention of the intent of this section.
- (c) **Contract preservation—** Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit the abrogation or modification of any contract.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 87–624, title VI, § 641, as added Pub. L. 106–180, § 3, Mar. 17, 2000, 114 Stat. 55.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Communications Act of 1934, referred to in subsec. (b), is act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064, which is classified principally to chapter 5 (§ 151 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 609 of this title and Tables.