SES Seeks to Move AMC-1 For SES-15 Arrival

SES wants to move its AMC-1 satellite in December to make way for the forthcoming SES-15. In an FCC International Bureau filing Thursday, the company also asked for an extension of AMC-1's license term through June 2021. AMC-1 is at 129.15 degrees west, where SES-15 is to go by late this year or early next, and SES said it wants to relocate AMC-1 to 130.9 degrees. The company said transitioning traffic from a wide-beam satellite to a spot-beam satellite can't be done with collocated satellites as it can be with wide-beam satellites. It said once SES-15 is operational at 129.15 degrees west and traffic is transferred to it, AMC-1 will be available to provide additional Ku-band capacity and to supplement the C-band capacity being provided by AMC-11 at that position.