WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission approved frequency changes for four mobile satellite service operators and said MSS licensees are making progress toward meeting milestones, a development that could hurt mobile-phone industry efforts to secure additional satellite spectrum for third-generation wireless systems.
The FCC late Tuesday granted license modifications to Boeing Co., ICO Satellite Services L.P., Celsat America Inc. and Iridium LLC.
In addition to dealing with harsh market conditions in their sector, MSS operators have had to adjust business plans to FCC rulings in which licensees lost 30 megahertz of their 70 megahertz total allocation in the 2 GHz band but gained approval to provide terrestrial cellular service.
The FCC said the four MSS licensees have met the first MSS milestone, requiring a non-contingent satellite manufacturing contract. But to keep their licenses, MSS have to meet other requirements, including a critical design review by July 17 and satellite construction and launch during the next few years.
