Satellite Applicant Queue Process Needs Fix, ViaSat Says

Non-U.S. applicants face a more-burdensome satellite application process than U.S. applicants do, and the solution is to let applicants file ITU coordination requests on a confidential basis before completing their satellite applications, ViaSat said in Monday in a filing in FCC docket 12-267. No satellite operator would have a place in queue without filing a complete satellite application, and both U.S. applicants and non-U.S. ones would be treated the same, the company said. The filing responded to SES' petition for reconsideration of the agency's Part 25 satellite rule changes adopted last year (see 1609200049). There, the FCC said once an applicant is given authority for a given orbital location, any conflicting applications will be dismissed, ViaSat said. So SES is off when it claims a grant of a U.S. license doesn't preclude giving market access to a foreign licensee with ITU priority, ViaSat said. But it said its proposal would alleviate SES' concern U.S. applicants can establish queue priority by filing out the simplified Form 312 "short form," making a coordination request and posting a $500,000 bond but without having to submit a complete satellite application. ViaSat said it wasn't taking a position on SES' request to reconsider the "short-form" mechanism itself. SES didn't comment Tuesday.