Iridium Takes Advantage Of New Spectrum-Sharing Rules

The FCC, in an order adopted late last week and released yesterday, authorized Iridium Constellation LLC, Iridium Satellite LLC and Iridium Carrier Services (collectively called Iridium) to use an additional 3.1 megahertz of spectrum on a shared basis with other operators in the 1618.25 MHz-1621.35 MHz band. As a result of recent commission decisions, mobile-satellite service (MSS) operators with satellite systems that use code division multiple access (CDMA) and time division multiple access (TDMA) technologies will share 3.1 megahertz of spectrum between 1618.25 MHz and 1621.35 MHz. Previously, only CDMA MSS operators had access to this spectrum. And instead of going to frequency coordinators to make sure that services won’t interfere with each other, the FCC has been encouraging CDMA and TDMA MSS operators to coordinate spectrum use amongst themselves.