Broadcast revenue is hurting from the COVID-19 slowdown, but there are signs of a return to normal, with more commercial activity in Europe, Eutelsat said Thursday, announcing quarterly results. It said its Quantum geostationary satellite, launched in July, is getting "a strong pipeline of interest as it prepares for its imminent entry into service." It expects to receive $125 million around the turn of the year for its U.S. C-band Phase I accelerated clearing, saying Phase 2 clearing is "on track."
The C-band relocation payment clearinghouse received 703 claims totaling $1.35 billion by Sept. 30, and sent 184 approved claims of $2.8 million to overlay licensees, said a quarterly status report Thursday in FCC docket 18-122. It said this week it's starting to pay claims (see 2110260007).
SpaceLink requested FCC International Bureau OK of a fourth satellite for its already-authorized Ka- and V-band medium earth orbit constellation, in an IB license modification application Tuesday. It's also seeking use of the 25.25-27.50 GHz band for inter-satellite service links.
Eutelsat's Phase I certification of accelerated C-band relocation was validated, the FCC Wireless Bureau ordered Wednesday. The bureau said the new C-band licensees will now pay their portion of the Phase I accelerated relocation payment to the relocation payment clearinghouse. The clearinghouse will disperse it to Eutelsat.
The C-band relocation payment clearinghouse began paying claims by incumbent earth station operators, as it evaluates other claims, it said Monday. It said some entities potentially eligible for reimbursement or lump sum payments haven't filed claims or registered. "The sooner they file their claims, the sooner they can receive" money, said Program Manager Frank Banda.
Condition FCC OK of Intelsat's emergence from bankruptcy on the company honoring its commitments, including funding the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization, the group said in docket 21-375 Monday. Intelsat's privatization was contingent on public service obligations, but the company "has used its bankruptcy proceeding as both a sword and a shield to completely undermine those principles and commitments," ITSO said. Intelsat didn't comment Tuesday.
Ligado said it’s progressing on deploying its spectrum but faces resistance from DOD and the Commerce Department, in a quarterly report to the FCC posted Monday in docket 11-109.Ligado has a “partnership with Mavenir to develop satellite 5G IoT base stations for advanced connectivity,” it said: “This critical partnership is intended to enable always-on, continental coverage by helping to integrate our satellite and terrestrial networks when we deploy.” Ligado is also “partnering with a major 5G chipset vendor to generate 5G chipsets for Ligado’s bands and with a major IoT chipset solution provider to produce satellite 5G IoT chipsets.” DOD and Commerce “have actively heaved roadblocks in the path of the Company in the name of unsubstantiated and baseless concerns of harmful interference to GPS,” the company said: “They assert sweeping concerns and yet have never produced any specific information about that asserted harmful interference despite repeated requests from Ligado and others.” Neither department commented.
The FCC approved Intelsat's application to launch and operate its Galaxy 34 satellite at 129 degrees west, in an International Bureau grant Thursday. Galaxy 34 is one of seven replacement satellites Intelsat plans to launch as part of the C-band clearing (see 2103310042). Intelsat said it's scheduled for launch in mid-2022.
Smaller players and new entrants in the commercial space sector need to be aware of cybersecurity threats and make cybersecurity a focus when designing their systems, panelists said Friday at an FCBA cybersecurity committee webinar. Space cybersecurity needs to be holistic, looking at systems from ground stations and antennas to spectrum and software, not just the satellites themselves, said Jaisha Wray, an NTIA associate administrator who until last year was National Security Council Cybersecurity Directorate international cyber policy director. Wray said standard cybersecurity practices can secure space systems, but an added complication is that space systems are physically difficult to access once deployed and cybersecurity activities must be done remotely. That's a big reason cybersecurity must be integrated into system design, she said. Panelists were bearish on cybersecurity regulation. "The second you write a prescriptive regulation ... it's already too late," with hackers and malware ready to circumvent rules, said Inmarsat Senior Vice President-Global Regulatory Donna Bethea-Murphy. She said many operators design systems to be encrypted and secure and comply with such standards. Wray said development of the White House's 2020 cybersecurity space policy (see 2009040042) focused on trying to ensure following voluntary principles. The U.S. can "take it on the road," talk to international partners, make suggestions to other governments and collaborate. Wray said the State Department has been carrying this forward. She said international companies joining the Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center is a hopeful sign.
Nov. 1 is the deadline for challenges to Telesat's Oct. 18 amendment to its C-band Phase I certification of accelerated relocation, with replies due Nov. 8, the FCC Wireless Bureau said in a docket 18-122 public notice Thursday.