Federal Register: Proposed Rule, Fixed and Mobile Services in the Mobile Satellite Service

August 16, 2010 at 12:50 pm | Posted in Space Law | Leave a comment

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

The FCC published a proposed rule on Fixed and Mobile Services in the Mobile Satellite Service (PDF) in today’s Federal Register (74 Fed. Reg. 49871-49879):

SUMMARY: This document proposes to take a number of actions to further the provision of terrestrial broadband services in the MSS bands. In the 2 GHz MSS band, the Commission proposes to add co-primary Fixed and Mobile allocations to the existing Mobile-Satellite allocation. This will lay the groundwork for providing additional flexibility in use of the 2 GHz spectrum in the future. The Commission also proposes to apply the terrestrial secondary market spectrum leasing rules and procedures to transactions involving terrestrial use of the MSS spectrum in the 2 GHz, Big LEO, and L-bands in order to create greater certainty and regulatory parity with bands licensed for terrestrial broadband service. The Commission also asks, in a Notice of Inquiry, about approaches for creating opportunities for full use of the 2 GHz band for stand-alone terrestrial uses. The Commission requests comment on ways to promote innovation and investment throughout the MSS bands while also ensuring market-wide mobile satellite capability to serve important needs like disaster recovery and rural access.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or before September 15, 2010, and reply comments must be filed on or before September 30, 2010.