O3b Plans To Expand Maritime Earth Station Tests, Service

O3b is seeking FCC International Bureau approval to expand its maritime earth station tests and commercial operations to up to 30 more foreign-flagged ships, it said in an IB filing posted Wednesday. The waiver would follow a variety of licenses and waivers the satellite company received in 2014 to operate maritime earth stations on U.S.- and foreign-flagged ships that communicate with its nongeostationary fixed satellite service system, O3b said. The 30-ship waiver would be for ships on routes that include the U.S. East Coast and Gulf of Mexico, and transmit on the 27.6-28.4 GHz band and receive in the 17.8-18.6 GHz band, it said. The company also asked the waiver be granted by year's end "to ensure timely initiation of service."