PARIS — The Mexican government on Dec. 12 said it is preparing to award satellite licenses in Ku- and extended-C-band frequencies at two orbital positions it has long held.
The Secretariat of Communications and Transportation, in a statement, said it had yet to determine how the bidding process would be conducted. The lease procedure will be managed by IFETEL, the Federal Telecommunications Institute.
The slots in question, at 113 and 116.8 degrees west longitude, have been under Mexico’s control for several years. The most recent development there is the Mexican government’s decision to place its Bicentenario, or Mexsat-3, C- and Ku-band satellite at 116.8 degrees.
The satellite, launched in December 2012, was intended to operate at 114.9 degrees but was moved to 116.8 degrees in August.
The Mexican government has two large L-band Mexsat mobile communications satellites under construction that are expected to operate at the same two orbital slots.
Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems of El Segundo, Calif., is building the Mexsat satellites, with the Mexsat 2, also known as Morelos 3, to be launched in 2015 into the 116.8 degrees position by a Lockheed Martin Atlas 5 rocket.
Mexico’s Satmex fleet operator, which earlier this year was purchased by Eutelsat of Paris, has its Satmex 6 satellite at 113 degrees and Satmex 8 at 116.8 degrees.
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