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."

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."

The FCC plans to consider launching a rulemaking at its May 9 meeting that proposes giving federal earth stations operating with commercial satellites full protection from interference. The NPRM asks whether they should be put on a co-primary status, FCC officials said. The NPRM has a few different proposals on how to do that, an official said.

FCC officials say they're seeing little lobbying on an rulemaking notice set for a vote at the May 9 commission meeting on improving access to broadband on commercial flights. The NPRM would establish an Air-Ground Mobile Broadband service as a secondary-use in the 14.0-14.5 GHz Band. With the NPRM set to go on the Sunshine Agenda late Thursday, cutting off further debate, there have been only two ex parte filings in the last 30 days in the main docket, RM-11640. Qualcomm had meetings at the FCC late last week, but has yet to make ex parte filings, agency officials said. The Satellite Industry Association has set up meetings with some of the offices for later this week.

FCC officials say they're seeing little lobbying on an rulemaking notice set for a vote at the May 9 commission meeting on improving access to broadband on commercial flights. The NPRM would establish an Air-Ground Mobile Broadband service as a secondary-use in the 14.0-14.5 GHz Band. With the NPRM set to go on the Sunshine Agenda late Thursday, cutting off further debate, there have been only two ex parte filings in the last 30 days in the main docket, RM-11640. Qualcomm had meetings at the FCC late last week, but has yet to make ex parte filings, agency officials said. The Satellite Industry Association has set up meetings with some of the offices for later this week.