Every three to four years, spectrum regulators convene to set rules on the use of the world’s limited radio frequency resources at an event known as the World Radiocommunication Conference. Next year the United States’ recently formed National Space Council will attend to defend the interest of American satellite companies and influence changes in international space policy.
As the Federal Communications Commission nears a decision on the use of C-band satellite spectrum, it and several other U.S. agencies are weighing a broader strategy for the nation’s spectrum.
Low-Earth-orbit satellite fleet operator Globalstar is meeting with telecom regulators around the world in an effort to globally authorize some of its satellite spectrum for mobile broadband services.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is still sifting through industry ideas for opening satellite-dominated C-band spectrum to terrestrial telecommunications, and while not yet reaching a conclusion, considers Intel and Intelsat’s proposed spectrum clearing plan a positive step.
“It’s not possible for Intelsat to trade anything they they don’t own,” Thomas Choi, Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) chief executive, said Oct. 3. “Many operators, including SES, Eutelsat and even ABS have C-band rights over North America. We would never agree to trade that.”
Eleven small satellite companies are establishing a trade association to address spectrum policies and regulations specific to the no-longer-tiny smallsat industry.
The mobile network operators that strove with limited success to obtain large chunks of C-band spectrum two years ago in Geneva will try again in 2019 to secure more spectrune future 5G networks.
Wheeler announced Thursday that Jan. 20 — inauguration day — will mark his final day at the helm of the telecom regulatory agency.
The attempt by terrestrial broadband networks to gain access to C-band frequencies currently reserved for satellite use mainly failed, with the exception of the lower piece of C-band that had already been partly opened to them in 2007.
Several of the world’s largest commercial satellite fleet operators on Oct. 22 made an 11th-hour attempt to persuade global governments not to allow terrestrial broadband networks to use spectrum currently reserved for satellites.
While no final decisions will be made until a Nov. 2-27 meeting of global governments at the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) in Geneva, it now appears many nations want to permit terrestrial broadband into the lowest part of the spectrum being contested.
Arab nations are willing to cede to terrestrial mobile telecommunications operators some of the spectrum now reserved for satellite links at an upcoming meeting of global regulators, the chairman of the regional grouping of Arab spectrum experts said May 26.
Several of the world’s largest satellite fleet operators appear to have lost their battle to persuade European regulators to keep terrestrial broadband out of their protected spectrum.
The Washington Space Business Roundtable is hosting panel discussion on what satellite operators and users are doing to protect part of the C-band spectrum from being taken away for use by wireless networks. In 2007, at the World Radiocommunicati…
PARIS — International radio frequency and orbital slot regulators have agreed to allow Iran access to an orbital slot for its planned Zohreh-1 telecommunications satellite despite the fact that Iran missed repeated deadlines for putting the satellite into use, according to a decision of the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC).
LONDON — U.S regulators on Sept. 15 ordered mobile satellite services operator Globalstar to stop using its satellite frequencies in ground-based communications mode until the company’s satellite constellation reaches minimum service levels.
