US DTH provider Dish Network is seeking approval from the Federal Communications Commission to deploy a hybrid satellite and terrestrial mobile and fixed broadband network.
In an FCC filing dated 22 August, the group requested permission to combine the…
US DTH provider Dish Network is seeking approval from the Federal Communications Commission to deploy a hybrid satellite and terrestrial mobile and fixed broadband network.
In an FCC filing dated 22 August, the group requested permission to combine the spectrum held by TerreStar Networks, the mobile satellite operator that it recently acquired out of bankruptcy, with that of fellow ATC licence holder DBSD North America, the assets of which it also bought following a bankruptcy auction back in March.
This transfer would give Dish 40 MHz of 2 GHz S-band spectrum, which it plans to use to “provide American consumers with greater choice for mobile broadband services” through LTE-Advanced network technology, the company stated.
The group is also requesting the ability to sell devices without a satellite-capable chip, enabling it to provide terrestrial-only services. Such a waiver has already been granted by the FCC to US satellite/terrestrial venture LightSquared.
“Allowing TerreStar and Dish to provide single-mode terrestrial terminals to
customers who have no need for satellite functions will achieve significant public benefits, and will do so by better serving the important, underlying policy,” the filing continues.
“TerreStar and Dish are committed to securing the opportunity to deploy a terrestrial broadband network and will provide substantial satellite service – however, relief from the integration requirement is an important component of Dish’s plan.”
Dish did not detail the precise mechanics of its terrestrial-only plan, but claimed that being able to sell devices without a satellite element could benefit consumers with lighter handsets, increased battery life, and boost competition because a greater variety of equipment manufacturers can be used.
In addition, Dish is seeking to avoid having to launch back-up satellites, reasoning that its TerreStar-1 bird remains in good health after passing its first year of service, the satellite’s period of “highest risk”.
Furthermore, the group argues it has “significant capacity” available as a result of the potential interoperability between the TerreStar-1 and DBSD’s G-1 satellites.
The group warns: “On the other hand, requiring Dish to complete and earmark two satellites as spares – one for each of DBSD’s and TerreStar’s authorisations – would be to require expenditure of over half a billion dollars and would serve no discernible policy. Worse, strict compliance with the spare satellite requirement would only serve to divert Dish’s resources away from developing its hybrid MSS/ATC network. This is an unnecessary and unreasonable expense that would jeopardize the business case for entering the market in the first place.”
Dish did not explain where this leaves the TerreStar-2 satellite that is currently being constructed by Space Systems Loral.
In return for the FCC’s waivers, Dish pledges to make substantial terrestrial network deployment commitments, including in rural areas. The group intends to work with the FCC to draw up a “reasonable, attainable build-out schedule keyed to commercial availability of the LTE-Advanced standard”, which it expects to be by 2014.
If Dish’s waivers are approved, it would likely place even more pressure on LightSquared, which is building a wholesale network based on LTE technology.
LightSquared has been making headway with its own nascent 4G business, most recently signing a “multi-year” wholesale agreement with local enterprise telco InterGlobe on 23 August.
However, the venture is unable to launch commercial services until it gets approval from the FCC, which is still reviewing GPS interference test results that were submitted on 30 June.
Unlike LightSquared, whose L-band spectrum sits close to frequencies used by the GPS industry, Dish’s spectrum faces no interference concerns – a point its filing points out.
Indeed, Dish also argues that by allowing the group to combine its TerreStar and DBSD spectrum holdings, the FCC would be helping it to ward off any potential interference issues between the two.
“The combination and use of the 2 GHz band for MSS/ATC eliminates many of the technical coordination issues that have plagued other MSS bands,” it said.
“Use of the band also does not give rise to the GPS interference issues that have hampered the use of the L-band. Moreover, the combination of the two 2 GHz MSS spectrum assignments helps to mitigate the bandwidth constraints that have limited the utility of these bands for broadband services.”
But, even if the waivers are awarded to Dish, the group admits that its combined 40 MHz would still be “far below the levels” held by America’s largest wireless carriers, suggesting the group could look for partnerships to help roll out its network.
Some industry spectators have suggested Dish could be seeking partnerships with wireless operators MetroPCS and Leap, or even rival DTH provider DirectTV.
