The Federal Communications Commission released its service rules for the allocation of spectrum in the 2 GHz band for nine mobile satellite service providers, including Globalstar L.P., Celsat America Inc. and ICO Services Ltd.
The rules allocate 3.5 megahertz of bandwidth in both the uplink and downlink, with spectrum available for assignment based on service to unserved areas. The FCC said it will give the nine MSS operators six months to comply with the service rules, at which time they have six years to launch their systems before their licenses are revoked.
If any of the MSS operators are not compliant by the time the FCC awards authorization-which includes demonstrating that it has reserved and contracted to use 10 percent of its U.S. capacity to serve rural and underserved areas-the spectrum will be divided equally among those who are authorized, making it possible for those qualified operators to acquire more than their 3.5 megahertz allotment.
Operators also can occupy other companies’ unused spectrum, however an operator must give up that spectrum if the rightful owner of that spectrum wishes to occupy it.
FCC Chairman William Kennard said awarding additional spectrum to those operators that are first to launch “puts the market to work to meet unmet needs, not through specific command to perform in a certain way, but by providing a small but palpable incentive.”
