Industry commenters saw potential problems in various proposals by the FCC to change its rules to push more use of spectrum for wireless backhaul, as proposed in part in the National Broadband Plan. Comments on the Aug. 5 proposals were due this week. The comments said more use of wireless backhaul could both cut the cost of CMRS service and mean better coverage in rural areas (CD Aug 6 p5). The NBP proposed extensive spectrum sharing among the Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS), the Cable Television Relay Service (CARS) and the Fixed Service, sought comment on the use of adaptive modulation and on a Wireless Strategies proposal to allow FS licensees to coordinate primary and multiple auxiliary links.
The European Commission has posted a report on the key sustainability issues that will be considered and methodologies that will be employed in conducting the Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) of the EUCanada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The report includes an overview the negotiations to date, a description of the impact assessment, factors inhibiting trade between the EU and Canada, etc.
Consolidation in the wholesale satellite capacity market has made it less competitive than other satellite markets, said Spacenet, in comments to the FCC. The company was responding to the International Bureau’s public notice requesting information for the annual satellite competition report. The wholesale market is “dominated” by Intelsat and SES World Skies, which “now control some 83 percent of the data network services transponders serving the U.S.,” said Spacenet, which buys wholesale capacity from operators. New entrants to the market are unlikely since Intelsat and SES World Skies already control or have rights to 2/3 of the 31 orbital slots able to provide service to the U.S., they said. The agency shouldn’t treat all satellite capacity as “fungible” since a change in satellite providers is a difficult process, requiring major adjustments to terminals and earth stations, Spacenet said.
More needs to be done to spur competition in the U.S. wireless market, rural groups and Free Press said as the FCC embarks on preparation of its next annual report on wireless competition. AT&T and Verizon attacked the FCC’s latest competition report, reiterating their stance that the market is competitive, as did CTIA. Comments on the report were due Friday.
Wireless Strategies and the FCC Wireless Bureau need to answer several questions on the effect of distributed radiating elements on satellite communications before the agency moves forward on a rulemaking on the subject, the Satellite Industry Association said in a filing on WSI’s proposal on DREs. WSI proposed deploying DREs as a way to increase reuse of microwave frequencies in 2007. The proposal saw new light recently when it was referenced in the FCC’s National Broadband Plan. The bureau is preparing to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to make changes to part 101 of the FCC’s rules which govern fixed microwave services and has sought some industry input before moving forward, the SIA said in a filing. The association has met with the International Bureau and the Office of the Engineering and Technology in recent months to voice its concerns on the issue.
Providing access to the 14.0-14.5 GHz band for critical infrastructure industries (CII) on a secondary basis would create a “serious interference threat to primary” fixed satellite service networks, the Satellite Industry Association said in a meeting with the FCC Wireless Bureau. The meeting was in response to Winchester Cator and the Utilities Telecom Council’s petition to the commission to make the band available to meet infrastructure spectrum capacity requirements. Ku-band is necessary for services and a major deployment of terrestrial receivers in the band is “not compatible with the current blanket licensing of FSS earth stations,” the SIA said. The petitioning groups use an inappropriate standard for measuring interference in their claim that fixed service equipment can be deployed without interfering with FSS, the association said. There is other spectrum already allocated for fixed services that the CII can use and there is no evidence that higher frequency bands would be cost prohibitive, said the SIA.
Satellite industry revenue growth slowed to about 11 percent in 2009, slightly lower than the average between 2004 and 2009, the Satellite Industry Association said in its annual state of the satellite industry report Monday. The association treated the slowdown as a major success across all satellite sectors given the large-scale economic contraction that has dragged down other industries around the world. The study was done by the Futron Corp. using independent research and surveys of SIA members and 40 other international and domestic satellite companies.
Globecomm joined the Satellite Industry Association, SIA said Wednesday.
The Satellite Industry Association remains concerned about Wireless Strategies’ request for an FCC ruling allowing deployment of distributed radiating/receiving elements, it told the International Bureau, said an ex parte filing. SkyTerra, SES and DBSD were also at the meeting. Wireless Strategies’ request lacks clarity and, if granted, the updated rules could cause interference to satellite services in shared frequency bands, SIA said. It also discussed the coordination difficulties that would come from the company’s proposal since the satellite industry uses the spectrum for public safety, government services and TV distribution.
The Satellite Industry Association remains concerned about Wireless Strategies’ request for a FCC ruling allowing for the deployment of distributed radiating/receiving elements, it told the Wireless Bureau, according to an ex parte filing. The company’s request lacks clarity and, if granted, the updated rules could cause interference to satellite services in shared frequency bands, SIA said. SIA also discussed the coordination difficulties that would come from the company’s proposal since the satellite industry uses the spectrum for public safety, government services and TV distribution.