The domestic coverage requirement for non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite networks guarantees Alaska -- particularly rural Alaska -- is "not forgotten," Gov. Bill Walker (I) said in an FCC docket 16-408 filing last week. Without the requirement, the incentive for NGSOs to provide broadband service to all of Alaska along with the Lower 48 "disappears," Walker said, urging the agency to keep the requirement. NGSO operators are divided on the FCC's proposed elimination of the requirement (see 1801030039).
Satellite TV still generates most satellite capacity revenue and set-top boxes are the key to applications that will make that business segment continue to thrive, Northern Sky Research (NSR) analyst Lluc Palerm-Serra blogged Sunday. NSR said satellite operators need to play a larger role in shaping STB technological requirements. It said new compression standards and modulation schemes can offer capacity and cost savings, but satellite TV "needs to catch up" with over-the-top service convenience. It said the migration to ultra HD "is of prime importance for satcom," as are trends toward multiscreen and virtual reality.
Panasonic Avionics will transition aircraft from multiple airlines to its new satellite broadband communications network during Q1, the company said Monday. The company also said its ITC Global will use that new broadband network to bring connectivity to energy, maritime and enterprise customers. It said the network uses Panasonic's high-throughput satellite service plus a new satellite modem developed in conjunction with Newtec. It said more than 1,800 aircraft are connected to its high-speed in-flight connectivity service, with that number expected to reach more than 10,000 by 2025.
The Supreme Court on Monday denied a petition for a writ of certiorari from EchoStar/Dish Network in its fight with Florida over the state's communications services tax. The petitioners appealed a Florida Supreme Court decision last year rejecting a 2005 lawsuit alleging the tax violates the Commerce Clause (see 1711280001). Dish didn't comment.
OneWeb plans to bump up the scale of its V-band medium earth orbit (MEO) broadband satellite constellation. In an FCC International Bureau filing Thursday, it asked to amend its petition for U.S. market access (see 1703020036) to increase the number of MEOs from 1,280 to 2,560 and add Ka-, Ku- and E-band frequencies. Citing the FCC's more liberal milestone rules for non-geostationary orbit satellites adopted in September (see 1709260035), OneWeb said it took a new look at what it would have proposed for its MEO and low earth orbit constellations under that new milestone regime. It said it still plans to launch its first satellites in May, and the expanded MEO constellation would let it better target capacity to areas generating the most data traffic in its network. The company also wants to be able to use a variety of Ka-, Ku- and E-band frequencies, including the 17.8-18.1 and 18.1-18.3 GHz bands, which aren't allocated for fixed satellite service use.
Intelsat and Orbital ATK signed a second contract for a mission extension vehicle (MEV) to provide life extension services for an Intelsat satellite, Orbital ATK said Thursday. It said the first MEV being produced for Intelsat is scheduled for launch late this year, with the second to begin service in mid-2020. It said system-level testing on MEV-1 is to begin this spring.
Intelsat wants the special temporary authority to operate Intelsat 1R at 157.1 degrees east to be made permanent. In an FCC International Bureau filing Wednesday, the company asked for a license modification to continue providing C- and Ku-band services there instead of at its licensed location of 50.1 degrees west.
Satellite communications for unmanned aircraft systems represent potentially $19.7 billion in revenue between 2016 and 2026, and commercial UAS imaging will be worth a cumulative $4.3 billion, Northern Sky Research said Thursday. NSR said accelerated adoption for government and military use worldwide is driving the potential UAS satcom and imaging growth. With more UAS use in the U.S., China and Middle East, more than 8,000 satcom units will be in service by 2026, NSR said.
Dish Network objections to the class in a Telephone Consumer Protection Act class-action complaint ignored the court's direction to use existing data when it used new and unvetted data to create inconsistencies, the plaintiff said in a docket 1:14-CV-333 response (in Pacer) filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Greensboro, North Carolina. Plaintiff Thomas Krakauer derided Dish's analysis -- which found problems with 98 percent of the plaintiff's proposed class list of more than 11,000 -- and said its "near universal objections" overlook numerous reasons why a "superficial inconsistency" doesn't equate to a reasonable dispute about a class member's identity. The company's objection (in Pacer) last month to a previous plaintiff motion asking the court to enter judgment or authorize disbursal of the jury's award drew opposition from Krakauer. The sides have been at odds before over verifying class membership (see 1705110010).
Spire is asking for FCC International Bureau approval to deploy 872 satellites in the second phase of its Lemur-2 constellation. An application Tuesday said the number of simultaneously operational satellites won't exceed 175. Spire also asked for authority to use multiple primary downlinks and uplinks to give it more flexibility in spectrum coordination, though only one primary downlink and uplink would be used for any one transmission between a satellite and ground station. It said that frequency would depend on Spire discussions with third parties, including NTIA. The earth imaging company also asked for bureau authority to measure refraction, reflection and other signal distortion with its previously authorized 100 Phase 1B and 1C satellites. The FCC in 2016 deferred action on Spire's 872-satellite Phase II request.