Pushback to Added Satellites Baseless, O3b Says

Most criticisms of the pending modification of Ob3b's market access grant, which would add 70 satellites to its 20-satellite medium earth orbit system, or calls for additional conditions (see 2206220020) are baseless and unsupported, the company told the FCC International Bureau last week. It again said the agency should defer action on its proposed inter-satellite links in the 19.4-19.6 GHz frequencies used by Iridium pending more discussions between the companies. It termed as a misrepresentation of FCC precedent the argument that the application means the Ob3b system in its entirety should be considered newly filed as part of the 2020 non-geostationary orbit processing round.