WASHINGTON-Though the next World Radiocommunication Conference is several years off, the United States already faces a potential controversy over whether mobile-phone carriers and mobile satellite operators can share spectrum in the 2500-2690 MHz band.
The preliminary view of the Bush administration is that satellite-terrestrial sharing is not feasible in the band, and the frequencies at issue should be used to accommodate third-generation mobile-phone systems.
At a meeting at the Federal Communications Commission today, two mobile satellite industry representatives said sharing may indeed be technically possible, and they asked that preliminary U.S. views on the item not be approved until the issue is studied further.
Nancy Victory, chairman of the advisory committee for the WRC-07 and former head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, agreed to have the matter re-examined.
The 2500-2690 MHz band was identified for 3G services at WRC 2000. Internationally, however, parts of the band have been designated for mobile satellite service and broadcast satellite service.
