The FCC has issued AST SpaceMobile (AST) and its key US partners AT&T, Verizon and FirstNet its formal public notice that it is minded to grant formal permission for AST’s recognition that it can operate as a full ‘Supplemental Coverage from Space Authorisation (SCSA) system. The FCC invites public comments by October 6th. There isn’t […]

The US’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken additional actions to accelerate broadcasters’ transition to the next-generation television standard, known as ATSC 3.0, by providing regulatory clarifications that can encourage the expeditious transition to this new standard and the benefits this transition can unlock for TV viewers across the country. This action reflects the Commission’s […]

FCC Commissioner Anna M Gomez has spoken out after the FCC launched a proceeding that she suggests may roll back progress made to close the digital divide as part of the agency’s Section 706 annual reporting. In a statement, she said: “While I have concerns over the potential change of direction this FCC may soon […]

The Video Services Forum (VSF) has further enhanced the Reliable Internet Streaming Transport (RIST) protocol by incorporating a new feature, RIST Satellite-Hybrid: In Band Method. This feature can be used to augment satellite distribution, using the Internet as a recovery mechanism for data that is corrupted or lost in the space segment. This is important […]

SES says that it is aware that the FCC is looking for a further release of satellite C-band spectrum. Adel Al-Saleh, CEO, told analysts that SES expected the FCC “to move quite fast” in its move to secure more 5G spectrum. He said that 100 MHz was a possibility and that SES was prepared to […]

EchoStar’s Dish pay-TV subsidiary has made its contracted interest payments, worth $114 million, to its lenders, and thus has avoided a potential default. The payments were due on July 1st and believed to have been made on July 30th and just within the 30-day limit. EchoStar will issue its quarterly results tomorrow (Friday, August 1st) […]

The FCC has approved Skydance’s $8 billion (€6.8bn) acquisition of Paramount Global and its subsidiaries, including the ultimate parent company of the CBS network of owned and operated broadcast television stations, by granting a series of applications that transfer FCC licences and authorisations. Chairman Carr said: “Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media […]

SES has confirmed that it has received all the necessary legal and commercial permits to needed to complete its acquisition of Intelsat. SES says it plans to close the $3.1 billion (€2.65bn) transaction on or around July 17th. The two companies are holding meetings this week to finalise the financial transaction. The consolidation exercise will […]

July 11th saw the clearest indication that the long wait for SES to receive its permissions to acquire rival Intelsat is coming to an end, with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) giving its approval to the transfer “of the control of licenses from Intelsat to SES”. This, in effect, ends the FCC’s oversight of the […]

Would-be global satellite broadband operator AST SpaceMobile has made a satellite modification request to the FCC regarding its operational fleet of satellites. The modification was submitted a month ago by its AST & Science subsidiary and proposes two new 14-satellite shells (98.13° inclination @ 685 km) alongside its already approved 520 km & 690 km […]