TerreStar snares more spectrum at 2 GHz

The Federal Communications Commission agreed to reserve a spectrum block for mobile satellite services provider TerreStar Networks Inc., one of a handful of firms trying to avoid past mistakes that nearly wiped out the MSS sector in the previous decade.
How does TerreStar expect to succeed where so many others have
failed? By pursuing more rational business strategies based on satellite-terrestrial network architectures capable of exploiting niche growth markets either not served or underserved by national wireless carriers and other telecom service providers. TerreStar and other MSS licensees are expected to make their play using similar multi-functional handheld phones used by cellular subscribers today.
The 20 megahertz of spectrum in the 2 GHz band was originally granted to Canadian firm TMI Communications Co. Ltd., a partner of TerreStar in 2001. TMI is a wholly owned subsidiary of BCE Inc., Canada’s largest communications company. Industry Canada issued TMI an approval-in-principle for a 2 GHz MSS system in May 2002. Last month, Industry Canada-a federal regulatory agency-approved the assignment of the approval-in-principal to TerreStar Canada, providing access to 20 megahertz of spectrum covering Canada.