FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

Your Source Of Information About The C-band Debate

After what seemed to be a quiet start, the “battle” for C-band spectrum — or at least awareness that there is a battle — is picking up.

C-band was the first frequency band allocated for commercial satellite communications, and the industry has built a thriving business around the spectrum. According to some industry groups, about 160 geostationary satellites operate in C-band and nearly two out of three commercial satellites being manufactured will use this spectrum. Millions of people around the globe rely on C-band satellite services for essential services, and in some countries core communications.

The importance of C-band spectrum to satellite players and their customers cannot be overstated, but financially powerful telecoms players want to use the “extended” C-band frequencies from 3.4 gigahertz to 3.7 gigahertz to provide new services like broadband wireless access and WiMax.

The problem for the satellite industry is that reallocation of even a portion of C-band spectrum to these services would create significant interference issues and services interruptions for satellite providers all along the frequency. While on paper it looks as though there are several compelling arguments to keep the entire C-band spectrum reserved for satellite players, the verdict is anything but certain.
Via Satellite editors and staff have been talking to satellite manufacturers, operators, users and as many other people as possible with an interest in this topic.

Via Satellite’s three-part series on the battle for C-band spectrum looks at the alarms being raised by the satellite industry and the potential consequences should telecommunications companies make successful arguments to gain access to some parts of the C-band spectrum.
The next few months are shaping up to be an important time for the satellite industry and its place in the overall communications world.

WEBINARS RAISE MORE AWARENESS

Via Satellite’s has concluded its first Webinar addressing the C-band spectrum battle between the satellite industry and terrestrial communications providers. Chris Baugh, president of NSR, and Greg Francis, managing director of Access Partnership, discussed the potential problems satellite players face if terrestrial providers are allowed to use a portion of the C-band spectrum to provide their services and addressed many of the satellite industry’s main concerns. While satellite players must work to protect the spectrum, the situation could also create future opportunities for satellite operators and terrestrial providers to work together.

The following questions were among those that were addressed:

Who are the key players on both sides of the debate and who gets to decide whether satellite players keep all of this spectrum?
What are the key points in the satellite argument for retaining this spectrum?
How likely is it that satellite players are going to lose some of this C-band capacity?
Do terrestrial providers have other options for providing these services? Is this the best or even the simplest option or the only option?
What regions of the world would suffer most if capacity was assigned to terrestrial mobile players rather than satellite?

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

Your Source Of Information About The C-band Debate

WEBINARS RAISE MORE AWARENESS

Bob Ames

Peter Jackson

Christopher Baugh

Danny Lau

Tom Choi

WiMax Forum

David Hartshorn