Intelsat and SES discussed with the FCC best practices for transitioning multi-feed antennas at C-band earth stations and that those antennas often simultaneously receive content from multiple satellite operators, per a docket 18-122 post Tuesday. They spoke with Wireless and International bureaus and Office of General Counsel staffers.

Dish Network opposed an application by SpaceX’s Starlink for eligible telecom carrier designation to participate in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction for Florida and North Carolina. Too much depends on future 12 GHz rules, said an FCC filing posted Thursday in docket 09-197. “While the 12 GHz rulemaking is pending, SpaceX cannot credibly claim that it will have ‘sufficient access’ to the 12 GHz band for 10 years, as required by the RDOF rules,” Dish said: “To the extent that SpaceX’s requested ETC designation relies on the 12 GHz band, it should be denied or deferred, pending the resolution of the 12 GHz rulemaking.” SpaceX didn't comment. The Michigan Public Service Commission Thursday granted a temporary license for Starlink to provide basic service, a required step toward ETC designation there (see 2105130043).

Lynk Global seeks FCC approval for its planned 10-satellite mobile service constellation. An International Bureau application Tuesday said its cellular-based satcom network would provide global GSM and LTE cellular services using cellular frequencies in 617-960 MHz. It said testing it did with mobile network operators (MNO) in connecting cellular devices to its experimental satellites showed the use of terrestrial mobile frequencies doesn't cause harmful interference. It said its service will allow access to communications services in areas lacking basic connectivity, on the edge of terrestrial networks or in areas where terrestrial infrastructure has degraded or been rendered inoperable. It's not seeking approval to operate in U.S. UHF bands. Some such "cell-tower-in-space" services raise interference concerns (see 2103180024).

Hispamar wants to replace its Amazonas-2 satellite with its Amazonas Nexus high-throughput satellite, it said Monday in an FCC International Bureau application for U.S. market access. It said Nexus is scheduled for launch late next year and will enter service in Q2 2023. It said Nexus will collocate with Amazonas-2 at 61 degrees west.

That Orbcomm would have to shut down permissible operations outside the U.S. gives it standing in its application for review of an FCC International Bureau letter on its obligation to avoid interference with Swarm (see 2104120063), said an Orbcomm IB filing Monday in response to Swarm's opposition to the application (see 2104270003). Orbcomm said there's no merit to Swarm arguments the application for review is just a challenge to Swarm's initial license or the 2008 Orbcomm modification order because both those were silent on global applicability of the non-voice non-geostationary orbit mobile satellite service band-sharing plan. Orbcomm said “the best path forward” is an FCC-set deadline for negotiating a sharing agreement the parties can agree to on a global basis. Swarm emailed us Tuesday that the FCC was clear in its March letter that Orbcomm doesn't have the right to operate in Swarm's bands internationally.

OneWeb expects to close later this year on satellite communications services company TrustComm, with the aim being offering its low earth orbit network to the U.S. government and TrustComm customers, it said Monday. It said TrustComm CEO Bob Roe will run the OneWeb subsidiary.

Intelsat plans to begin deorbiting its Telekom-2 satellite June 1 and have the job done by month's end, it said in an FCC International Bureau application Friday. It said it plans to move Telekom-2 to 263.6 km above its current geostationary arc. It said the current license for the satellite expires May 30.

As DOD develops positioning, navigation and timing technology to supplement or replace GPS, it should consider ways of coordinating across the agency to clarify responsibilities and authorities in prioritizing the need for PNT alternatives. That's per a GAO report Monday with other policy options for developing and integrating alternatives including selection of the most resilient technologies as the centerpiece of PNT for military missions rather than defaulting to GPS, and looking for ways DOD could clarify what level of performance is needed for missions rather than defaulting to requirements that match GPS performance. It said the Pentagon's alternative PNT portfolio is centered on two options: improved sensors to provide relative PNT data, and external sources to provide absolute positioning and navigation. It said Defense might use multiple PNT technologies to provide sufficient data.

SpaceX joined wireless interests in opposing a Satellite Industry Association petition for reconsideration of the FCC Part 25 satellite rules order adopted 5-0 last year (see 2011180043), in docket 18-314 comments posted through Friday. Amazon pushed back on SpaceX's recon petition. SpaceX said the FCC's extending time for deployment of earth stations incentivizes spectrum warehousing. It said axing the earth station re-coordination requirement in upper-microwave flexible use spectrum (UMFUS) as SIA seeks "would simply exacerbate that problem by removing the only meaningful check on speculative applications." Verizon said re-coordination is needed or earth station operators could essentially create a protection zone that precludes UMFUS operations unless the UMFUS facility is operational at coordination time. It said the FCC reversing the re-coordination rule would let earth station operators reserve spectrum in an area for several years, although they could ultimately decide not to build the earth station. CTIA said SIA's proposed clarifications would unnecessarily burden UMFUS licensees. It said if the FCC makes any changes, dump the earth station buildout time frame extension. Backing the SIA recon petition, Hughes said the required re-coordination for earth stations in the UMFUS bands "means that a satellite operator does not really have the rights that its authorization appears to confer." Re-coordination "creates an unacceptable choice" between the potential for significant changes to facilities that could cost millions or accepting secondary status, it said. Amazon's Kuiper urged dismissal of SpaceX's recon petition regarding the earth station buildout extension as procedurally deficient. It said SpaceX argued that letting a non-geostationary operator (NGSO) apply for sites years in advance of construction would lead to stockpiling locations, but the FCC "was correctly agnostic" on approaches systems could take. The FCC reversing itself would stop NGSO operators from designing their entire systems including ground infrastructure, "grossly favoring those who sped ahead" with deployments even if the system design isn't complete, it said. Telesat said as long as the FCC focuses on the number of earth stations involved rather than the orbital characteristics of the associated satellites such as whether they're NGSO or geostationary, it doesn't object to SpaceX's suggested limit on the number of unbuilt earth stations covered by the extended construction periods the FCC adopted.

Targeting the burgeoning IoT market, Skylo Technologies asked the FCC for a blanket license for up to 1 million mobile terminals that will connect with the Inmarsat 4-F3 and Skyterra 1 satellites, said an International Bureau application Tuesday. Skylo said the earth stations will transmit in the 1.6265-1.6605 GHz band and receive in the 1.525-1.559 GHz band. It said it's eyeing such applications as fishing vessels, trucking and agriculture.