Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr says that the US has always welcomed foreign satellite operators in its market. But that welcome could change. The FCC has issued a Public Notice discussion paper and seeking comments on the state of “satellite reciprocity and fair treatment for our operators”. Comments are due by April 1st.

The restrictions on US operators in other countries have persisted. And now, new barriers are emerging that constrain US businesses operating abroad, including in the draft EU Space Law & their Digital Networks Act, said the FCC statement.

The FCC reminds stakeholders that the US ‘open market’ has existed for almost 30 years but the market had now changed, and “while the US has continued to provide market access to foreign satellite operators, longstanding competitive restrictions by other countries have nevertheless persisted. And more recently new barriers abroad have emerged against US companies,” stated the FCC’s Public Notice.

The FCC points out the EU’s draft Space Act and expresses concerns over the Act and the risk of non-tariff barriers could introduce challenges in the areas of space weather, remote sensing, space exploration, Spaceflight safety, space debris mitigation, communications, and cooperation with the European Space Agency.

The FCC complains, for example, about recent changes brought about by Canada and that at least 50 per cent of TV channels being aired in Canada must be Canadian, and non-Canadian channels must be pre-approved. It also cites Indian restrictions on non-Indian channels, and South Korea.

This Public Notice asks the essential question: Is the assumption behind the US open-door policy still accurate? Are American satellite operators getting effective competitive opportunities abroad that are truly reciprocal to what foreign operators enjoy in the US? The answer, based on exhaustive analysis of current conditions in the European Union, Canada, India, Brazil, the Republic of Korea, the Gulf Cooperation Council states, and elsewhere, is a resounding no.

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Categories: Blogs, Inside Satellite, Policy, Regulation

Tags: canada, European Space Agency, FCC