C-Band Alliance Plan in the Lead, but Many Questions Remain, DSA Chief Says
A C-Band Alliance (CBA) proposal for the C-band is probably still in the lead (see 1811140061), but “the amount of opposition and concern that was expressed was clearly significant and from parties across the board,” Dynamic Spectrum Alliance President Kalpak…
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Gude told us Tuesday: FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s statement “of needing to go slow, also suggests that the CBA proposal is in more trouble than may have been anticipated.” Gude has questions about AT&T’s alternate proposal. “Their proposal makes no sense to me,” he said. “Either a private sale happens, or the FCC will run the sale. Not sure what it means for a private sale to occur and there to be a so much government control and involvement. I am not even sure if that would be legal.” Gude agreed the issue of windfall payments to C-band incumbents is growing. “One thing that is not yet covered is that the U.S. would be the only government allowing the satellite operators to make any money from the sale of this spectrum," he said. In Europe, “home of three of the four satellite operators, they took away some of the C-band and gave, or will give, all revenue to taxpayers,” he said. “The CBA proposal is for these foreign operators to get compensated by taking money from U.S. taxpayers where they could not in their home markets. I think this issue is going to only get bigger.” ABS Global, Hispasat and Embratel Star One, filing as the small satellite operators, said clearing a portion of the band through a market-based mechanism “could have merit.” They said CBA's plan is “self-serving, inequitable and anything but market-based.”