Boeing, SOM1101 End Bid to Transfer NGSO Applications Hand-Off
Boeing dropped plans to hand off two non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite constellation applications pending before the FCC to SOM1101. An FCC staffer said there was skepticism at the International Bureau and it wouldn't be surprising if in conversations between the…
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bureau and companies, it became apparent a grant of the applications would be tough. Boeing and SOM1101 filed an IB notice of withdrawal last week. The agency, Boeing and SOM1101 owner Greg Wyler didn't comment Tuesday. Other satellite operators opposed the handover ask, arguing Wyler had a controlling interest in OneWeb (see 1802130019). A satellite lawyer with a client interested in the proceeding said the two might have thrown in the towel when it looked like the ask wasn't going anywhere. The lawyer said the big question is what Boeing does with the pending NGSO applications. The lawyer said the satellite community's response to another Boeing request to transfer the applications to a different third party might depend on who it was and what issues that proposed recipient raises. But if Boeing does come in with another third party, it would look as if its original applications were speculation and the company is now shopping them around, and that's something the FCC doesn't want to encourage, the lawyer said. O3b argued the applications are speculation and should be denied (see 1807230005).