Intelsat Lobbies FCC Against 2-Degree Spacing Rules

Intelsat told front-office and other FCC International Bureau officials it opposes FCC two-degree spacing rules, said a filing posted Friday to docket 12-267. Nixing that separation would "remedy the competitive harm unfairly imposed on U.S. licensees and align U.S. licensing" with the ITU, said the satellite company. If the commission doesn't junk the rule, it should apply it only to beams serving all of the contiguous U.S., said Intelsat. It cited a recent order letting DirecTV build, launch and operate a Ku-band satellite: "As the FCC noted, beams that do not cover the U.S. are not in the scope of U.S. market access, need not be included in a two-degree spacing interference analysis, and are subject to the ITU’s satellite coordination procedures."