Satellite Industry Assn. (SIA) and Satellite Bcstg. & Communicati...

asking FCC to “reallocate” MSS spectrum “for more efficient uses” (CD May 21 p5) as reason for rulemaking, citing Iridium bankruptcy. “Despite years of development and massive investment, MSS providers have been unable to make effective use of the extremely valuable spectrum,” CTIA said. SIA Exec. Dir. Clayton Mowry disputed CTIA claim that industry problems were show- stopper: “We think it’s pretty short-sighted to make those claims on a financial basis. You have to understand that globally, mobile telephony took in over $2 billion in revenue.” Giving CTIA MSS spectrum wouldn’t serve public interest because terrestrial cellular service can’t cover entire country, Mowry said. “There’s tens of thousands of miles that aren’t covered by terrestrial networks today, let alone with advanced 3G networks,” he said. “You're basically going to be denying service to millions of Americans that live in rural America,” Mowry said: “It took the cellular industry a long time to develop.” Memorial Day holiday threw off timing for filing petition with FCC, he said, but “we're working on it right now.” Meanwhile, Mobile Satellite Users Assn. (MSUA) Pres. Ahmad Ghais asked FCC to reject or dismiss CTIA petition, arguing that it was “frivolous and an abuse of process” and “must be dismissed as untimely.” FCC “has previously rejected similar requests for allocation and reconsideration” and must follow precedent, letter said. Granting CTIA request “will delay, likely even destroy,” mobile satellite companies and end competition with terrestrial cellular services, letter said.