The carrier identification compliance waiver order for satellite news trucks and other temporary-fixed earth stations released Tuesday is identical to the draft order the FCC released July 13, the agency confirmed to us Tuesday. The item was approved this week in advance of Thursday's commissioners' meeting and removed from the agenda (see 1707310047).
Satellite interests applauded FCC efforts to harmonize and consolidate rules for vehicle-mounted earth stations, earth stations on vessels and earth stations aboard aircraft (ESAA), and to allow operation of earth stations in motion (ESIM) in the Ka-band. Monday was the deadline for initial comments on the rules consolidation NPRM, replies due Aug. 30. Commissioners approved the NPRM in May (see 1705180042). The NPRM wasn't expected to get notable pushback (see 1705090018). ESIM rules should be identical for earth stations at fixed locations, Boeing said in docket 17-95, saying giving ESIMs co-primary status in the 18.3-18.8 GHz, 19.7-20.2 GHz, 28.35-38.6 GHz and 29.25-30 GHz bands would help deployment of broadband services with additional capacity for end users on mobile platforms. Previous waivers allowing mobility-based fixed satellite services in the Ka-band have shown such deployments don't hurt the operating environment, ViaSat said, saying power limits might be needed for Ka-band ESAAs operating in airspace within line-of-sight of a foreign territory where fixed service networks have an allocation. ESIMs in the Ka-band face the same interference issues as other earth stations operating there on a primary basis, so giving ESIMs primary status will cut burdens on ESIM operators without any corresponding increase in harm, Inmarsat said. It pushed for cutting regulatory barriers for U.S.-licensed earth stations aboard aircraft operating in foreign territory. Several operators also backed FCC proposals to eliminate the antenna pointing accuracy and data logging requirements in existing rules. Elefante Group said the FCC should make clear ESAAs include stratospheric platforms, like those it plans to deploy, and that ESIM deployments in the 18.3-18.8 GHz and 19.7-20.2 GHz bands don't inhibit deployment of other services there. The National Academy of Sciences' Committee on Radio Frequencies said any new ESIM uses should preserve the existing scientific use of the 18.6-18.8 GHz band, and an inventory of recent changes in the number and location of fixed earth stations and ESIMs would help in an assessment. It said there should be restriction of ESIM in frequencies adjacent to that band's earth exploration satellite service allocation until there's more technical parameter information available about proposed ESIMs. The Global Mobile Suppliers Association, when looking at possible effects on future services in the adjacent 27.5-28.35 GHz band, said the NPRM doesn't give enough ESIM operational information about possible deployments and asked that prospective ESIM operators submit usage scenario information, as well as channelization and out-of-band-emission information, for analyses based on real operating scenarios.
The Defense Information Systems Agency extended its ViaSat contract to continue to receive in-flight connectivity and broadband services on senior leader aircraft, the company said in a news release Monday. It said the contract extension is part of a noncompetitive firm-fixed price contract, which focuses on ViaSat providing broadband and connectivity services, via its global Ku- and Ka-band communications satellite network, to senior leader and VIP aircraft when in-flight. It said the contract extension has a face value of $19.3 million, with the cumulative face value of the contract being $73.2 million.
A waiver of the requirement that satellite news trucks and other temporary-fixed satellite earth stations comply with the carrier identification standard was approved by the commissioners and deleted from Thursday's meeting agenda, the agency said in a notice Monday. Satellite news gathering operations complained the carrier ID compliance standard was a major regulatory burden (see 1707190026).
Rockwell Collins is trying to develop Ku-band phased array antenna technology, said an FCC Office of Engineering and Technology experimental license grant Friday. Rockwell said it plans to start testing Aug. 1 on a proof-of-concept receiver using commercial satcom Ku-band parabolic antennas for the transmit side of the link. If successful, the company said it will show low-profile Ku-band antenna technology can be used for aircraft-based communications systems.
The third launch of Iridium Next constellation satellites is scheduled for Sept. 30 on a SpaceX Falcon rocket out of Vandenberg Air Force Base, the company blogged Friday. Iridium said the 10 satellites would bring the number of Next satellites deployed to 30, with the goal being a total of 75 Next satellites in orbit. It said Oct. 1 is a backup date in case of inclement weather. The fourth Next launch is to happen in late November, it said.
DigitalGlobe shareholders voted to approve the company's proposed takeover by SSL (see 1703210008), it said in a news release Thursday. DigitalGlobe said shareholders of SSL parent MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates approved in a separate vote issuing MDA common shares to holders of DigitalGlobe stock and certain equity awards. It said the deal is expected to close in or shortly after Q3.
SpeedCast Americas is seeking FCC International Bureau approval for a transfer of control of UltiSat's 17 earth stations in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Midway Island, Puerto Rico, Texas and Wake Island as part of its acquisition of UltiSat, said a filing Thursday. SpeedCast has announced plans to buy UltiSat for up to $100 million payable over two years, the amount depending on the financial performance of the company. It said it hopes to close on UltiSat in Q4, pending regulatory approvals, and UltiSat CEO Mohammed Abutaleb will lead SpeedCast Americas' new government division that will focus on communications offerings to government and international government organizations customers.
Thales' FlytLive Ka-band in-flight connectivity service should be commercially available by year's end, now that the company has FCC authorization for its airborne terminals communicating with the EchoStar XVII, EchoStar XIX, AMC-15 and AMC-16, Thales said in a news release Thursday. The International Bureau approved Thales' application this month. Thales said it seeks other regulatory approvals in the Americas. It said the SES-17 satellite, which is being designed for aeronautical connectivity, will join the FlytLive network after its 2020 launch.
SpaceX wants to add the 12.75-13.25 GHz, 19.7-20.2 GHz, and 29.3-29.5 GHz bands to its plans for is proposed 4,425-satellite broadband and communications constellation (see 1611160010). In an FCC International Bureau filing Wednesday, SpaceX said expanding the range of Ku-band spectrum available for user links and Ka-band spectrum for gateway links would create spectrum diversity. It said the beam-forming and digital processing technologies that were part of its original application would allow sharing the spectrum with other satellite and terrestrial users.