Kineis -- planning an IoT nanosatellite constellation in non-voice non-geostationary bands (see 1911260021) -- anticipates it will launch 25 satellites by the end of 2022, followed by another 25 by 2030, it said in an answer Monday to FCC International Bureau questions.

Iridium got an International Mobile Satellite Organization compliance letter Dec. 19 to provide global maritime distress and safety system service, the company emailed Tuesday. It plans to roll out GMDSS service during the first half of this year. FCC OK came in December (see 1912270041).

Time of the essence in clearing parts of the C band for 5G, and incentivized satellite operators making up the C-Band Alliance are best positioned to do that quickly, CBA said in a docket 18-122 posting Tuesday. Not involving the CBA in the transition "would be legally perilous" and the Communications Act doesn't allow the FCC to make fundamental, unilateral changes to licenses, it said. Intelsat and SES working to clear the band would include 10-figure investments in new satellites, "a highly orchestrated plan" for a series of migrations, free dual illumination capacity for customers to allow the moves and procurement and possibly deployment of an interference mitigation solution that includes a specific radio frequency filter configuration, it said. Given the importance of doing so quickly, the group should get "fair and appropriate" financial incentives, it said. The coalition, SES and Intelsat executives also discussed the coalition's possible role in a speedy transition, and compensation for that, meeting with an aide to Chairman Ajit Pai. Ericsson officials, meeting with Wireless and International Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology staff, said earth station equipment upgrades needed to repurpose the band should come with requirements for using high-performing low noise blocks. Ericsson discussed satellite elevation angles that could reduce the coordination requirements between 5G base stations and earth stations. Harmonic said CBA should be the transition facilitator for band clearing since only it has "a complete understanding of all elements of a successful transition." The video gearmaker said CBA has already evaluated current C-band operations and created an implementation plan, and a different third party would have to replicate that planning and analysis.

Along with the NTIA-coordinated Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee feedback on Ligado's requested modification of its L-band licenses (see 1912090011), the FCC received other agency feedback from outside IRAC, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in letters to Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Mark Warner, D-Va. They were dated Jan. 3 and released Friday. Pai said IRAC feedback came too late for the agency to make a decision in 2019: It's "working diligently [toward] the appropriate decision."

With SiriusXM and AT&T having urged the FCC not to allow signal booster use in the 2.3 GHz wireless communications service band, SiriusXM confirmed its verification test for wideband consumer signal boosters that it said would work better than the agency's existing one, per a docket 10-4 posting Thursday. It said the "simple, straightforward" proposed test requires use of a spectrum analyzer with tracking generator or an RF network analyzer.

With satellite data capacity pricing dropping, and supply growing, satellite operators are attracting private buyouts while equipment vendors also consolidate, Northern Sky Research analyst Gagan Agrawal blogged Monday. NSR said the video distribution pricing decline will accelerate this year, while the data pricing decline should stabilize. It said when among geostationary satellites, ViaSat-3 and EchoStar's Jupiter-3 are expected to "massively" undercut competitors on broadband and aeronautical service pricing.

To clear the C band, the FCC could do an auction under its Communications Act Section 309(j) authority, using Title III authority to require auction winners pay satellite operators a set percentage of the amount paid at auction, said small satellite operators Hispasat, ABS Global and Claro in a docket 18-122 posting Monday. They said relocation expenses need to be reimbursed, but also there needs to compensation for the economic effects on the satellite operators in giving up their rights to operate in much of the band. The companies said the remaining life of a satellite is important in determining each satellite operator's share of the losses from the repurposing and lost spectrum rights. They said satellite operators will have similar losses whether they have full or partial continental U.S. coverage.

Maxar Technologies is selling its Canadian space and defense unit, MDA, to a consortium of investors led by Northern Private Capital (NPC), for $765 million, it said Monday. It said MDA will operate as a stand-alone NPC company, keeping its name. It said the deal requires regulatory OKs by DOJ, the FTC and the Canadian government. Maxar shares closed up 15.4 percent Monday at $16.49.

Watercraft equipped with an Iridium global maritime distress and safety system mobile satellite service have to keep the unit on and set to receive calls whenever the vessel is underway and the radio isn't being used to communicate, just as ships equipped with Inmarsat GMDSS service do, the FCC Wireless Bureau said Friday, approving Iridium's ask that it be allowed to provide GMDSS service (see 1910030047). The bureau rejected Inmarsat arguments Iridium approval should come after a rulemaking, saying Iridium's requested waivers aren't of such complexity that its GMDSS service risks disrupting the FCC regulatory framework for maritime communications. Also as a condition of approval: ships with an Iridium earth station have to maintain a continuous watch for satellite shore-to-ship distress alerts, the same as required of vessels equipped with an Inmarsat ship earth station.

Despite a temporary solar array circuit anomaly in September, the AMC-16 geostationary orbit satellite is doing fine overall, joint licensees SES and EchoStar said in an FCC International Bureau application Monday asking for a license extension on the satellite to Jan. 1, 2022. They said the current license expires Feb. 7, 2020.