Domestic Coverage Requirement Not Always Appropriate, Space Norway Says

Without waiver of the domestic coverage requirement, providing broadband service to the Arctic areas of the U.S., primarily Alaska, won't happen, Space Norway said in a docket 16-408 filing Friday. The letter was in response to Arctic Slope Regional Corp. (ASRC) earlier this month urging the FCC not to waive domestic coverage requirement for the various non-geostationary satellite constellations being proposed, including Space Norway's (see 1708100039). Space Norway said the domestic coverage requirement might not be appropriate for a system specifically intended for an Arctic service, and providing continual fixed satellite service throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands isn't feasible in its Arctic satellite broadband mission design. ASRC didn't comment.