Satellite Operators Push for Spectrum Frontiers Siting Rules Changes

Rather than the earth station siting rules adopted in the spectrum frontiers order, the FCC should look at other percent population coverage limits for fixed satellite service (FSS) receivers in the 28 and 39 GHz bands, satellite operators told the eighth floor. In an ex parte filing Tuesday in docket 14-177, the satellite interests said a 0.2 percent population coverage limit in densely populated areas, a fixed population limit in low- and medium-density areas, a 5 percent population coverage limit in the 39 GHz band and 10 percent limit in the 28 GHz band in the most sparely populated areas would encourage earth station siting in areas of low value to upper microwave flexible use system (UMFUS) operators while still "provid[ing] realistic opportunities" for earth station deployment in low-density pockets of high population license areas. They also pushed for better definition of transient population limits and axing rules limiting FSS operators to three earth stations per county for 28 GHz or per partial economic area for 39 GHz. They said using the 70/80/90 GHz band data base for UMFUS facilities would create an easy way for FSS operators to find areas of minimal UMFUS deployment. The filing recapped a meeting between an aide to Commissioner Mike O'Rielly and EchoStar Senior Vice President-Regulatory Affairs Jennifer Manner, Inmarsat Director-Regulatory Giselle Creeser, SES Senior Legal and Regulatory Counsel Petra Vorwig, O3b regulatory counsel William Lewis, Intelsat Associate General Counsel Susan Crandall and Boeing outside counsel Bruce Olcott of Jones Day.