Row 44 joined the Satellite Industry Association, “further augmenting the association’s representation of the dynamic satellite-based in-flight entertainment and connectivity sector,” SIA said in a news release Wednesday. As a satellite-based service provider of in-flight broadband to about 500 commercial aircraft on four continents, “Row 44 will lend considerable experience to SIA’s active regulatory and spectrum activities that support the satellite sector’s ongoing innovation and investment in mobility capabilities,” said the association.
The Satellite Industry Association is pleased the Obama administration “has moved quickly to right-size the rules that govern exports of satellites and their parts and components, just a few months after Congress restored their authority to do so,” said SIA in a news release Thursday (http://bit.ly/11fGfay). “We view sensible and effective export controls as a vital tool to enhance our nation’s space industrial base and encourage the satellite sector’s ongoing leadership in innovation and investment,” said President Patricia Cooper. The State Department and Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security had released concurrent proposed rules on changes to the U.S. Munitions List and Commerce Control List for spacecraft and related items. That was the latest export control reform step. The proposed rules can be seen at http://1.usa.gov/10qOdc4 and http://1.usa.gov/11fSQKE.
Satellite companies and in-flight broadband and entertainment providers urged the FCC to approve rules granting earth stations aboard aircraft (ESAA) primary status as an application of the fixed satellite service in the Ku band. ViaSat, Boeing, the Satellite Industry Association and other entities supported the NPRM in comments due this week. The status change would put ESAA on equal footing with the earth stations on vessels (ESV) and vehicle-mounted earth stations (VMES) allocations, they said. The commenters also highlighted the FCC’s acknowledgment that ESAA networks operated in the conventional Ku band with no reported interference to other users.
The SI Organization joined the Satellite Industry Association. The SI “brings unique experience in providing state-of-the-art technology and engineering solutions to support the communications needs of the government,” SIA said in a press release (http://bit.ly/13GgeR6). Virginia-based SI Organization provides mission-focused systems engineering and integration capabilities to the Department of Defense and other agencies, it said on its website, www.thesiorg.com.
The government continues to take steps to enhance partnerships in commercial space launches, said Maj. Justin Sutherland, a chief in the Air Force Space Operations Division. The government is taking the initial steps to implement the provisions on launch and space vehicles in the FY13 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was passed in January, he said Tuesday at a Federal Aviation Administration Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee meeting in Washington.
The FCC launched a rulemaking seeking comment on a Qualcomm proposal for a terrestrial-based air-ground mobile broadband service in the 14.0-14.5 GHz band, on a secondary basis, for use by passengers on aircraft. The service uses time-division duplex technology and is expected to mean faster broadband connections on commercial flights. The proposal has faced continuing opposition from the Satellite Industry Association since the spectrum is set aside as a satellite uplink band (CD April 30 p4). Commissioners approved the NPRM on a 4-0 vote Thursday, but said they want hard evidence that the new service won’t pose interference problems for satellite operators.
The FCC launched a rulemaking seeking comment on a Qualcomm proposal for a terrestrial-based air-ground mobile broadband service in the 14.0-14.5 GHz band, on a secondary basis, for use by passengers on aircraft. The service uses time-division duplex technology and is expected to mean faster broadband connections on commercial flights. The proposal has faced continuing opposition from the Satellite Industry Association since the spectrum is set aside as a satellite uplink band. Commissioners approved the NPRM on a 4-0 vote Thursday, but said they want hard evidence that the new service won’t pose interference problems for satellite operators.
The FCC launched a rulemaking seeking comment on a Qualcomm proposal for a terrestrial-based air-ground mobile broadband service in the 14.0-14.5 GHz band, on a secondary basis, for use by passengers on aircraft. The service uses time-division duplex technology and is expected to mean faster broadband connections on commercial flights. The proposal has faced continuing opposition from the Satellite Industry Association since the spectrum is set aside as a satellite uplink band. Commissioners approved the NPRM on a 4-0 vote Thursday, but said they want hard evidence that the new service won’t pose interference problems for satellite operators.
American Airlines sent a letter to the FCC supporting a rulemaking notice that would establish an Air-Ground Mobile Broadband service in the 14.0-14.5 GHz band (CD April 30 p4). On Thursday, the FCC put out a notice saying the NPRM is still set for a vote at its Thursday meeting. “The service will be important to satisfying air travelers’ increasing demands for mobile broadband data,” the company said (http://bit.ly/ZsoOhx). “American Airlines agrees with the central premise of the Petition for Rulemaking that Qualcomm Incorporated filed asking the FCC to establish the new service -- that U.S. travelers need to have broadband access while they are in-flight that is equal to the level of access they have on the ground because broadband access via smartphones, tablets, e-readers, and laptops, is valued by American travelers.” Qualcomm met with Commissioner Mignon Clyburn on the notice (http://bit.ly/15ekFpi). The Satellite Industry Association had a series of meetings at the commission to raise concerns about interference to fixed satellite service. “SIA noted its continued opposition to the Qualcomm petition, reiterating SIA’s view that Qualcomm’s proposed ... system will cause interference into the FSS satellite services that are primary in that band,” SIA said in an ex parte filing (http://bit.ly/165FkLP). “SIA reviewed the ongoing importance of the Ku-band uplink bands to the satellite industry, noting that the industry has invested more than $20 billion to build, launch and operate more than 80 satellites with Ku-band capacity. These satellites generate more than $1 billion dollars in satellite services revenue in North America alone."
American Airlines sent a letter to the FCC supporting a rulemaking notice that would establish an Air-Ground Mobile Broadband service in the 14.0-14.5 GHz band. On Thursday, the FCC put out a notice saying the NPRM is still set for a vote at its Thursday meeting. “The service will be important to satisfying air travelers’ increasing demands for mobile broadband data,” the company said (http://bit.ly/ZsoOhx). “American Airlines agrees with the central premise of the Petition for Rulemaking that Qualcomm Incorporated filed asking the FCC to establish the new service -- that U.S. travelers need to have broadband access while they are in-flight that is equal to the level of access they have on the ground because broadband access via smartphones, tablets, e-readers, and laptops, is valued by American travelers.” Qualcomm met with Commissioner Mignon Clyburn on the notice (http://bit.ly/15ekFpi). The Satellite Industry Association had a series of meetings at the commission to raise concerns about interference to fixed satellite service. “SIA noted its continued opposition to the Qualcomm petition, reiterating SIA’s view that Qualcomm’s proposed ... system will cause interference into the FSS satellite services that are primary in that band,” SIA said in an ex parte filing (http://bit.ly/165FkLP). “SIA reviewed the ongoing importance of the Ku-band uplink bands to the satellite industry, noting that the industry has invested more than $20 billion to build, launch and operate more than 80 satellites with Ku-band capacity. These satellites generate more than $1 billion dollars in satellite services revenue in North America alone."