Lynk Mobile Via Satellite Raises Hughes Concerns

Lynk's proposed delivery of mobile service via satellite (see 2105120002) would be “an unprecedented change to how the FCC treats spectrum allocated for terrestrial use,” Hughes Network said Tuesday in an FCC International Bureau petition to deny. It said Lynk's application sidesteps major questions by not describing ultimate deployment plans and not indicating how it would share relevant spectrum with other satellite operators. It urged the FCC to do first a rulemaking or other proceeding about whether to allow use of terrestrial wireless frequencies for satellite communications and what conditions should govern such use. Inmarsat told the bureau Lynk approval would need to be conditioned on particular equivalent power flux density limits, that mobile satellite service operations in the 20.1-20.2 GHz and 29.9-30 GHz bands should be conducted on a non-interference non-protected basis with respect to other fixed satellite service operations and that operations in the 29.9-30.0 GHz bands should be on a secondary basis with respect to geostationary FSS operations. Lynk didn't comment. AST, also planning mobile service via satellite, faces petitions to deny its request for U.S. market access for a planned 243-satellite constellation (see 2011040003).