Global Organizations Unite to Defend Satellite Use of C-band

Photo: Indi Samarajiva (Flickr)

[Via Satellite 11-13-2015] Several international organizations including the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU), NetHope, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the Space Frequency Coordination Group (SFCG), have voiced their desire to see C-band spectrum preserved for use in delivering mission-critical satellite services worldwide.

These entities and others have showed what was described as an “unprecedented demonstration of support for satellite spectrum” during a series of briefings held at the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU’s) 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC), according to a Nov. 12 press release jointly issued by the Asia Pacific Satellite Communications Council (APSCC), Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA), EMEA Satellite Operators’ Association (ESOA), Global VSAT Forum (GVF), Interference Reduction Group (IRG), Society of Satellite Professionals International (SSPI), World Teleport Association (WTA), and other international satellite industry associations.

“The high level of support from these organizations makes clear the importance of satellite communications in C-band spectrum and how further disruption of safety-of-life services due to wireless interference is unacceptable,” the seven non-profit associations representing the global satellite communications sector said in a joint statement. The satellite industry is seeking to defend itself from wireless interference within the 3400 to 4200 MHz band (C-band), which the satellite industry says the IMT industry is trying to get access to despite reports that previous efforts have already disrupted communications services with serious interference.