Globalstar Plans to Fight Iridium L-band Spectrum
Globalstar Communications will pursue legal options to overturn an FCC decision Friday to change the configuration of the L band to give Globalstar and Iridium equal amounts of spectrum at 1610 to 1621 MHz, William Adler, Globalstar’s vice president for legal and regulatory, told us. The new L- band plan “will provide certainty and stability for mobile satellite service systems operating” in the L-band, the FCC said. “By providing equal amounts of L-band spectrum for the exclusive use of CDMA and TDMA MSS systems, we provide more equitable distribution of spectrum resources.” The changes to the L-band will ensure “that both MSS operators have access to adequate spectrum to provide their services,” the FCC said. Iridium declined to comment on the FCC’s action because it hadn’t seen it, a spokeswoman said.
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Iridium and Globalstar have been in a bitter fight over sharing the L band since Iridium asked for additional spectrum. Globalstar has repeatedly said Iridium had not justified the need for the extra spectrum. But in Friday’s order, the FCC said “Iridium has made a case demonstrating its need for more spectrum.”
Globalstar wanted the FCC to hold a special administrative hearing before giving Iridium an additional spectrum allocation in the L-band. The FCC rejected the section 316 hearing request saying that by going through a rulemaking proceeding and reconsideration proceeding, Globalstar had ample opportunity to make the commission aware of its concerns.
In the same item, the FCC proposed increasing the spectrum where Globalstar can offer ancillary terrestrial component services. “The right hand giveth and the left hand taketh away,” Adler said. The agency doesn’t seem prepared to give Globalstar authorization throughout its spectrum holdings, as it requested in June 2006. The agency tentatively concluded that Globalstar won’t be able to offer ATC in the L-band shared spectrum and the part of the S band that it shares with BRS/EBS licensees. Without these exceptions, Globalstar could offer ATC in more than 8 more megahertz than its current 11 MHz authorization, the FCC said.
The FCC also wants to know what rules should be put in place to protect adjacent broadcast auxiliary service operations. “We seek comment on power limits, technical standards and coordination requirements that would allow Globalstar to expand its ATC operations in the S-band,” it said. The FCC created a new docket (07-253) for comments on Globalstar’s request. Comments will be due 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.