OneWeb License Mod Gets Partial OK; FCC Defers on Big Expansion

The first step of OneWeb's two-part requested modification of its U.S. market access grant (see 2111050001), with slightly fewer satellites, was approved, but the second step, which would mean thousands more, is on hold, the FCC Space Bureau said in an order in Monday's Daily Digest. It said reducing the number of approved satellites in phase one from 720 to 716 doesn't raise spectrum availability concerns and won't materially affect competition in the U.S. It deferred acting on phase two, which would expand OneWeb's system to 6,372 satellites, and doesn't address phase two in the order.