The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to commence a formal proceeding into whether it will allow Globalstar to deploy a terrestrial broadband network over 22MHz of spectrum in the 2.4GHz band.
Globalstar…
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to commence a formal proceeding into whether it will allow Globalstar to deploy a terrestrial broadband network over 22MHz of spectrum in the 2.4GHz band.
Globalstar has requested that the proposed new rules allow it to provide terrestrial broadband services over its 11.5MHz of previously-licensed S-band spectrum at 2483.5-2495 MHz, as well as the adjacent 10.5MHz of unlicensed spectrum at 2473-2483.5 MHz.
Introducing its NPRM, the FCC stated: “By this NPRM, the Commission proposes modified rules for the operation of the Ancillary Terrestrial Component (ATC) of the single Mobile-Satellite Service (MSS) system operating in the Big LEO S-band. The proposed changes would allow Globalstar to deploy a low power broadband network.
“We believe that Globalstar’s proposal to deploy broadband access equipment should be further examined and a record developed to determine whether this proposal has the potential to enable more efficient use of Globalstar’s S-band spectrum and spectrum in the adjacent band.
“This action could potentially help to meet growing consumer demand for wireless broadband. At the same time, concerns have been raised about certain detrimental impacts on unlicensed devices (including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth hands-free communication devices). We seek comment on the costs and benefits of the approach proposed in the notice, and on the changes to our rules, which may facilitate such deployment and minimise any negative impacts.”
The communications regulator has set a relatively long comment period of 75 days after the publication of the summary in the Federal Register, and a reply period of 30 days after that.
Commenting on the NPRM, Globalstar chairman and CEO Jay Monroe said: “The FCC’s release of Globalstar’s requested NPRM represents a seminal development and yet another step forward in Globalstar’s renaissance. We look forward to receiving the public’s comments and working towards a final order over the next several months.”
Speaking to SatelliteFinance as part of an in-depth interview, Monroe said he expected the process to take around six months and was confident of a successful outcome.
“I’m highly confident. Everything that we are hearing from the Commission is that it is supported at every level and we would hope that it would come out soon,” Monroe said.
He added that the satellite operator had held preliminary discussions with four distinct groups of companies, cable operators, tower companies, wireless carriers and technology companies. He said “they are all waiting for clarity from the FCC”.
Globalstar had also requested that the regulator initiate a rulemaking to permit it to deploy a higher power terrestrial service using LTE technology in both the S-band (2483.5-2495MHz) and L-band (1610-1617.775MHz) over the longer term. The FCC stated that it would address the L-band proposal separately from the current proceeding.
Indeed, MSS peer Iridium filed a petition for Rulemaking and Motion for Consolidation in February 2013 requesting that the Commission revisit the Big LEO band plan that was established in 2007, and consider its request together with Globalstar’s petition. The FCC stated that Iridium’s petition would be addressed separately from Globalstar’s ongoing S-band proceeding.
