New ICO Global Communications Holdings Ltd. has hand-delivered a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael K. Powell, asking the commission to allow mobile satellite service operators to use MSS spectrum for terrestrial-based services, citing the past failure of Iridium L.L.C. and the present struggles of Globalstar Telecommunications Ltd. as obstacles to the successful deployment of satellite-only networks.
“Because of these difficulties, capital markets have simply lost confidence in mobile satellite service projects,” New ICO said.
At a press conference on Thursday, Powell refused to comment on the merits of the proposal, but did say it is difficult from a regulatory perspective because ICO “wants to do two different things that live in two different worlds.” For example, the FCC is required to auction terrestrial spectrum but is prohibited to auction satellite spectrum, he noted.
By amending the 2 GHz service rules, ICO and other MSS operators could incorporate “ancillary terrestrial components,” or ATCs, to extend MSS availability to many indoor and urban areas that would otherwise go unserved by a satellite-only network, New ICO said in its letter to Powell.
The ATC concept is not meant to be a stand-alone proposition, but rather something operated in conjunction with a commercially operating satellite system. This would prevent a mobile operator from buying up MSS licenses and then not offering any services.
New ICO’s proposal applies to any 2 GHz MSS operator, not just New ICO. The company has developed four basic architectures that 2 GHz operators could implement in order to integrate ATCs into their networks without interfering with adjacent users or themselves.
Among its pleas to the commission in support of the proposal, New ICO noted ATCs would improve service to rural areas and make better use of precious spectrum. The company said ATCs will improve spectrum efficiency “not by altering the number of times spectrum is reused within a particular satellite beam, but rather by enabling the already-assigned MSS spectrum to become useful in urban areas.”
New ICO asked that the commission place its letter on public notice and immediately accept any replies or comments, while at the same time issuing an order of reconsideration in the 2 GHz Service Rules proceeding, expected to be completed this summer.
Cellular and PCS carriers are expected to oppose the proposal, which essentially gives MSS operators spectrum to compete against them in urban markets.
In recent weeks, ICO-Teledesic Global Ltd., the operating entity of New ICO, announced it entered collaboration agreements with MSS operators CCI International and Ellipso Inc. in an effort to stabilize many of the start-up problems being experienced by MSS operators, and to strengthen the regulatory and financial clout of each company.
RCR Wireless News Washington Reporter Heather Forsgren Weaver contributed to this report.
