The Satellite Industry Association repeated concerns for a...

The Satellite Industry Association repeated concerns for a proposed secondary air-to-ground (ATG) mobile broadband service in the 14.0-14.5 GHz band. Recent developments, like AT&T’s plans to build a new 4G LTE ATG system, “undercut the alleged need for access to new spectrum for air-ground broadband operations,” SIA said in an ex parte filing posted Thursday in docket RM-11640 (http://bit.ly/1nvdDRQ). Demand for broadband in-flight connectivity will be met with primary spectrum allocations, “without the need to craft a complicated sharing regime between technically diverse secondary and primary services,” it said. Qualcomm proposed the ATG service and the FCC issued an NPRM based on that request. Qualcomm’s suggested revisions to the aeronautical mobile service “are based on unrealistic assumptions regarding satellite networks,” SIA said. They don’t provide for adequate enforcement of the limits necessary to protect the primary fixed satellite service, it said.