Advanced Television

FCC

Ligado under threat from US senators

Ligado Networks is planning a US terrestrial wireless system using L-band (1526-1536 MHz) and is hoping to start services on or after September 30th this year. However, there are allegations that its service is potentially interfering with GPS signals. London-based Inmarsat has some potentially valuable agreements with Ligado which uses Inmarsat spectrum over the US. […]

August 23, 2022

Intelsat’s Galaxy 15 goes rogue

Intelsat has informed the FCC that it has lost overall control of its Galaxy 15 satellite probably as a result of a geomagnetic storm. It is the second time that the satellite has suffered problems in orbit. The official notification to the FCC says: “Galaxy 15 is currently authorized to operate at the 133.0° West […]

August 22, 2022By Chris Forrester

FCC rejects Musk’s application for $886m

The FCC has turned down Elon Musk’s SpaceX request for an $886 million (€860m) grant as part of the US government’s massive $20.4 billion rural broadband subsidy scheme. The FCC had previously awarded the sum back in 2020, but that move has now been rejected. In a statement, the FCC said the FCC said that […]

August 11, 2022By Chris Forrester

FCC starts 5G mid-band spectrum auction

The US’s Federal Communications Commission has opened bidding in its latest mid-band spectrum auction to support next generation wireless services – including 5G. Auction 108 makes available 8,017 new flexible-use, county-based overlay licences in the 2.5 GHz band. These licences are in areas with unassigned 2.5 GHz spectrum—mostly rural parts of the country—following disposition of […]

August 1, 2022

Ergen’s 5G at risk

Terrestrial 5G telephony in the US wants to use the 12.2-12.7 GHz wireless band. The problem is that satellite operators also use the same frequencies. OneWeb, a would-be satellite constellation, in a letter to the Federal communications Commission (FCC) on July 11th argued that the FCC should reject Charlie Ergen’s Dish Network plans to use […]

July 15, 2022

Musk wins FCC approval for mobile services

Elon Musk’s Starlink broadband-by-satellite system can now be used for caravans, RVs, boat and aircraft operators thanks to the FCC’s decision to approve access to mobile services. “Authorising a new class of terminals for SpaceX’s satellite system will expand the range of broadband capabilities to meet the growing user demands that now require connectivity while […]

July 4, 2022By Chris Forrester

SES launches 1st of new C-band fleet

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully placed SES-22 into orbit on June 29th. The launch means that SES has made its first key step on re-equipping its C-band fleet over North America. SES has a further five C-band satellites to place into orbit. Built by Thales Alenia Space, the first of SES’s C-band satellites dedicated […]

June 30, 2022By Chris Forrester

SES-22 launches June 29

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is due to launch SES-22 on June 29th at 17.04pm Eastern Time from Cape Canaveral. The craft is the first of SES’s replacement C-band fleet needed to provide new capacity to its existing orbital assets serving the US as a result of the agreement with the FCC over reallocation of […]

June 24, 2022By Chris Forrester

Intelsat looks to wrap bankruptcy claims

Lawyers for Intelsat’s bankruptcy filed a motion to the satellite operator’s bankruptcy court saying that they will be applying for a ‘Final Decree’ on or before June 29th. The document recognises that there may be other matters and claims still outstanding after that date. Intelsat’s Fourth Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganisation was filed back on […]

June 17, 2022

SpaceX, Kuiper challenge Viasat/Inmarsat deal

Viasat of California is in the process of buying London-based Inmarsat for some $7.3 billion (€6.9bn). SpaceX is formally complaining to the FCC and says that Viasat has violated FCC rules and should not be given permission to control another company’s assets. Jeff Bezos’s Kuiper Systems is also complaining to the FCC over the Viasat/Inmarsat […]

June 15, 2022By Chris Forrester