Mobile satellite players continue to battle with land-based mobile industry

Canada’s two mobile satellite service (MSS) providers are opposing a bid by the U.S. cellular companies to have MSS spectrum reallocated for the land-mobile industry. The Washington-based Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) is lobbying the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to have some bands in the 2 GHz range – spectrum that was assigned to MSS on a worldwide basis in 1992 – turned over to terrestrial carriers for 3G. Over the last several months the CTIA has intensified its campaign to convince the FCC that the U.S. lags behind other developed countries in assigning an adequate amount of spectrum for the evolution to 3G. The association maintains that MSS operators can make do with existing frequencies, and that the additional bands should be turned over to 3G, which is viewed as a higher growth industry. TMI Communications Inc and GlobalStar Canada, through its U.S. parent company, have been working with the FCC to ensure that the spectrum isn’t reassigned, and is made available to satellite phone operators in a timely manner. Like their terrestrial counterparts, they say they also need the spectrum to expand services and coverage. Peter White, GM of GlobalStar Canada, says his company needs additional spectrum if it’s to evolve and become a thriving business. "If we’re going to have the capability to support 2G and 3G services that customers are looking for and asking for, we’re going to need that additional spectrum," he told Report on Wireless. Looking at other kinds of successful satellite services like direct broadcast, TMI’s Liz Tasker says that given the right amount of time and a fair business environment mobile satellite services can be as successful as their land-based competitors. And she’s confident that the FCC will make the right decision. "We’re optimistic that the FCC will agree that MSS can provide great benefits for the American consumers and we’re hoping to keep the discussion focused at the FCC which is where we’ve been fighting really hard over the last little while," says Tasker, VP business development and service delivery. It would be difficult for the FCC to yield to terrestrial carriers on this issue since it took several World Radiocommunication Conferences to reach agreement on a globally harmonized spectrum allocation for mobile satellite services. Tasker says the FCC has already indicated its support for MSS services. "The FCC has already stated in a public forum that MSS is important to the United States and they will continue to support that," she says. "Given the fact that it has been allocated on a worldwide basis, I think that (the FCC) is going to probably look to that as a guideline." Issue arose earlier this year The CTIA initially waded into the debate following the merger announcement of TMI and Motient where it stated that spectrum in this band should be used for viable operations such as terrestrial mobile wireless. Comments were also submitted to the FCC in relation to applications for usage of the spectrum in question. But the whole debate may quickly become moot if the new Iridium Satellite can make a go of it and the restructuring at GlobalStar is successful. If both of these enterprises can begin to show some signs of gaining credibility in the marketplace, the choice to reallocate the spectrum may never have to be made. "The problem I think we’ve had is the current view of mobile satellite hasn’t been very positive," White adds.

Mobile satellite players continue to battle with land-based mobile industry

News | 05/28/2001 4:00 am EDT

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