There’s ‘urgent need’ to cut number of so-called ‘paper satellite...
There’s “urgent need” to cut number of so-called “paper satellites,” ITU said Mon. ITU is facing “avalanche of applications” for satellite slots, many for systems that “will never leave earth,” it said. Besides blocking access to spectrum and orbital…
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resources, paper satellites waste resources of satellite operators, administration and ITU, said Robert Jones, dir. of ITU Radiocommunication Bureau. There’s now backlog of 1,200 applications, Jones said, and ITU receives 400-500 requests for new systems each year. That has caused “packed orbital space neighbourhood and a scramble for desirable orbital slots,” he said. That rush could increase with growth of new services such as 3rd- generation mobile telephony and proposed broadband access systems using high-speed wireless connections via large constellations of rapidly moving satellites, Jones said. Problem of paper satellites isn’t new, he said. Satellite operators don’t want to pay application processing fees and some developing countries think those fees violate international principles of equal access to orbital slots, he said. Sliding scale fee was implemented at ITU Plenipotentiary (Plenipot) conference 4 years ago, he said. While it has reduced some casual filings, he said, problem will be key issue at this month’s Plenipot in Marrakech, Morocco. Delegates are expected to debate what action should be taken if processing fees aren’t paid and whether filings for which fees haven’t been paid within 6 months should be cancelled automatically, Jones said.