Tariff classification rulings

The FCC Space Bureau gave the green light to the rest of Tomorrow Companies' planned 18-satellite non-geostationary orbit constellation intended to provide near real-time weather monitoring and forecasting (see 2406200007), according to a bureau grant last week. The approval was for 14 satellites; four were approved previously.

The ITU Radiocommunication Sector's SpaceCap software for filing satellites and earth stations needs updating that would allow for more detailed coordinates of earth stations' locations, Access Partnership Engineering Manager-Space & Connectivity Abubakar Manzo blogged Thursday. Geographical coordinates are mandatory for earth station filings, but SpaceCap goes down only to geographic minutes and seconds, he said. That can create licensing, coordination and protection problems when dealing with antennas close to one another, such as at antenna farms, he said. SpaceCap accepting fractions of seconds would make for better notification and coordination procedures, he said.

AST SpaceMobile Chairman/CEO Abel Avellan met with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr to discuss the company's near-term plans for testing direct-to-device commercial satellites, potential timing of full commercial deployment of D2D service and regulatory approvals needed, said a posting Thursday in docket 20-32.

The number of in-flight connectivity-equipped aircraft topped 38,000 last year and is expected to exceed 60,800 by 2033, Novaspace said Thursday. As aircraft operators shift from legacy geostationary orbit-based systems to non-geostationary orbit-based (NGSO) ones and hybrid services, bandwidth consumption is rising, it said. Total leased capacity, 90 Gbps in 2023, is expected to reach 1.8 Tbps by 2033, it said. NGSO services such as SpaceX's Starlink and Eutelsat's OneWeb "are set to revolutionize in-flight connectivity" through greater bandwidth at lower capacity costs, Novaspace said.

SES' purchase of Intelsat is nothing short of "survival" for the geostationary orbit (GEO) operators in a marketplace where well-funded low earth orbit operators have "dramatically disrupted the already hyper-competitive satellite communications industry across all verticals," the companies said in a paper on LEO disruption. Submitted to DOJ, a redacted version of the paper was posted Thursday in docket 24-267. The two companies are seeking regulatory approval of SES' proposed $3.1 billion purchase of Intelsat (see 240430004). SES and Intelsat said they "face enormous and increasing pressure to adapt, innovate, cut costs, lower prices, and improve services to survive," and without the deal "it is unlikely that either Party acting alone would be able to do that." They said LEO operators enjoy huge cost advantages due to vertical integration. LEOs are the predominant suppliers of satellite capacity, and that capacity influx has commoditized satellite connectivity, "driving down capacity, service, and equipment prices," they said. Traditional GEO customers "increasingly view LEOs as substitute -- and often preferred -- sources of supply," they said. Tens of thousands of LEO satellites are expected to launch in the coming years from SpaceX's Starlink, Eutelsat's OneWeb, Amazon’s Kuiper, Telesat's Lightspeed, three Chinese mega constellations and others, they said. Those LEOs will drive almost all the ten-fold growth in high-throughput satellite capacity expected by 2028, they said. Meanwhile, the average global price of satellite bandwidth for data services has dropped 77% since 2019. SES and Intelsat said combined they account for less than 5% of all HTS capacity, and that is likely to shrink to less than 2% by 2026. They said that, combined, they can invest more resources in ground equipment and platforms. New SES will be better able to develop and fund a next-generation multi-orbit constellation with the throughput, capacity, range and latency characteristics needed "to more vigorously compete, including with well-financed LEO competitors."

Globalstar and SpaceX are jousting over SpaceX's request that the FCC reverse its August partial approval of Globalstar's plan to replenish its first-generation HIBLEO-4 non-geostationary orbit satellite system (see 2408190003). A reversal of that order and a loss of the HIBLEO-4 license "would destabilize the Big LEO regulatory environment, undercut investment, disrupt and delay Globalstar’s [mobile satellite service] offerings," the company said in an opposition filing Tuesday. A reversal also would raise questions about the future of Globalstar's MSS business, it said. Globalstar said the FCC Space Bureau order followed "well-established" agency precedent in determining that the Globalstar satellites qualify as replacements. In its application last month for review of the August approval, SpaceX said the Space Bureau actually signed off on an entirely new constellation for Globalstar, letting it cut in line ahead of other operators that applied first to use the same spectrum. The agency should treat Globalstar the same as other operators that have had their applications put on hold pending a rulemaking on sharing the 1.6/2.4 GHz band, it said.

Consideration of license transfers from Intelsat to SES as part of SES' planned $3.1 billion purchase of Intelsat (see 2405310004) is on hold pending a review by Team Telecom, the FCC Space Bureau said. The Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the U.S. Telecom Services Sector is Team Telecom's formal name. In docket 24-267 comments this week, cable and satellite interests raised the idea of conditions related to New SES' C-band assets on the requested license transfers. Cable operators and programmers distribute video programming using Intelsat’s and SES’s C-band downlinks, and the FCC should ensure that they continue providing the same quality of service in the C band, said NCTA. It said SES and Intelsat assertions that cable operators can use terrestrial fiber for distribution are "untrue." The FCC, NCTA added, shouldn't accept commitments about New SES' use of C-band licenses that would jeopardize video distribution in that spectrum. SES and Intelsat each control just shy of 50% of the video content distribution by satellite market in the U.S., said Eutelsat/OneWeb, and the FCC should consider whether conditions are needed on SES/Intelsat to address competitive impacts. Eutelsat/OneWeb didn't suggest possible conditions. The SES transaction would seem to help ensure Intelsat can continue following the core principles set out in its 2001 reorganization from an international organization to a private company, said the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization, which owned and operated Intelsat pre-2001. ITSO said Intelsat in recent years hasn't provided sufficient funding to the organization, and a better funding approach needs to be established.

The FCC posted on Friday an order approved 5-0 on Thursday addressing satellite operations in the 17 GHz band. The agency adopted rule changes enabling non-geostationary orbit-fixed-satellite services to operate in the 17.3-17.7 GHz band for downlinks on a shared, co-primary basis with geostationary satellite orbit services and on a co-primary basis with other incumbents (see 2409260026). “Our action today provides a contiguous 1300 MHz of spectrum for NGSO FSS downlink operations, allowing for technologically innovative and enhanced satellite services to the benefit of American consumers,” the order says: It also aligns “the U.S. Table with the International Table of Allocations to provide a more cohesive global framework for FSS operators and maximize the efficient use of the 17 GHz band.” Only Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks attached statements.

Air France will begin next year rolling out free in-flight connectivity for passengers via SpaceX's Starlink service, the airline said Thursday. Analysts had seen Starlink's United Airlines deal announced earlier this month as a sign of it becoming a more-prominent player in in-flight connectivity (see 2409130002).

Satellite position, navigation and timing company TrustPoint joined the GPS Innovation Alliance, GPSIA said Thursday. GPSIA Executive Director Lisa Dyer said the company's plan for developing a complementary PNT constellation "offers an innovative new dimension in satellite navigation. They will be a valuable addition in our efforts to heighten awareness of the vital contributions of these technologies to public safety, critical infrastructure, and the global economy.”