Interference Protection Sunset Needs Revisiting, OneWeb Says

The FCC effectively gave first Ka-/Ku-band processing round applicants a seven-year sunset of their interference projections by backdating it to 2020 for first-round operators, OneWeb said Friday in a docket 21-456 petition for partial reconsideration. With many second processing round grants still pending, first-round operators would ultimately get little to no protection interference from second-round grantees after the latter are fully deployed, it said. That "undermines the Commission’s rationale that First Round operators should be ensured some period of time during which they will be protected from second-round systems even after the latter have deployed and offered service." OneWeb said, asking the agency to reconsider the sunset provision in its non-geostationary orbit satellite spectrum sharing order approved in April (see 2304200039).