Satellite Operators Continue Push for Spectrum Frontiers Rules Changes
Satellite broadband companies are asking the FCC to modify high-band spectrum rules, including revision of the population coverage limit for fixed satellite service (FSS) earth stations in the 28 and 39 GHz bands. In a docket 14-177 ex parte filing…
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posted Monday, EchoStar, SES/O3b, OneWeb, Inmarsat and Intelsat recapped meetings where they backed doubling the population coverage limit from 0.1 percent of a population in an upper microwave flexible use license area to 0.2 percent in densely populated areas and going with a fixed population limit in low and medium density license areas, and a 5 percent or 10 percent population converge limit for sparsely populated areas. The companies said there needs to be better transient population limit definitions, elimination of rules capping FSS operators to three earth stations in any county for 28 GHz or partial economic area for 39 GHz. They advocated reserving the 48.2-50.2 GHz band as exclusively for FSS and giving FSS better and "more equitable" access to the 47.2-48.2, 50.4-51.4 and 51.4-52.4 GHz bands. The companies met with staffers from the International and Wireless bureaus and the Office of Engineering and Technology. The companies and other satellite operators have pushed for similar spectrum frontiers rules rewrites (see 1612160019).