C-Band Fight: To The Victor Go The Spoils

What Happens Now?

Despite the overall consensus that the industry achieved the best possible outcome, some still remain cautious, pointing out that the decision allows some wiggle room for countries. “The threat has not been totally allayed yet. The footnotes provide special provisions for controlled IMT deployment in several countries,” says Robert Ames, CEO of the Satellite Users Interference Reduction Group (SUIRG). “I am not sure we can call this a winning situation but more of a global draw. While the results within the [United States] were very positive, this is a global situation, and globally not all countries did as well.”

Gude agrees that while the potential threat has been averted, the satellite industry will need to remain on top of the issue. “The ITU process did not, and really could not, tell them that they are not allowed to deploy in this band,” he says. “What it told them was that this was not an easy band to deploy in. Globally speaking, the message from the ITU was that this was not a band worth harmonizing. What we have seen is that you will have an effort from individual countries to explore deploying in portions of the band, particularly the lower portions of the band. So I think it goes from an international regulatory setting to a domestic regulatory setting in individual countries around the world.”

Simple demand for bandwidth most likely means there will be some countries that try to implement IMT services via C-band, but those efforts will be difficult, officials says. “As long as fixed and mobile terrestrial antennas are blasting signals at each other in the C-band, I see no hope of satellite coexisting with terrestrial users in the same band,” says Bell. “But there is every reason to think that the wireless industry will be able to use available spectrum at higher frequencies to meet their needs and deliver the kind of advanced services we all want. With the resolution of this issue, they also have new regulatory clarity that should allow them to invest with more confidence.”

Industry Momentum

With the decision, satellite operators now can look forward to the future. “There is now some certainty,” says Bednarek. “We, as a satellite industry, can continue to invest in new C-band satellites without the threat of losing these frequencies hanging over our heads and having to make a judgment on that with every new satellite we build. More importantly, our customers and the people that use C-band for this wide diversity of applications can continue to build out their applications, be it for cable video distribution, be it for GSM backhauling which is popular in Africa and some parts of Asia, be it for enterprise networks, banks, oil and gas.”

The outcome means that the environment “is now very stable for satellite deployment,” says Gude. “... I think the market is pretty good in terms of threat from the IMT. The vote is a signal that the market recognizes the importance of maintaining the band for the satellite industry. It was very much a reaffirmation by the international community that this band should be available, virtually unfettered for satellite deployment. In the 3.4 gigahertz to 3.6 gigahertz band however, what has come out of that process is not that satellite should not deploy in the band but rather the satellite industry needs to be more careful and diligent in terms of its deployment plans, particularly in places of the world like Africa or Asia.”

Killimbe believes these events only emphasize the importance of the satellite industry on the global communications landscape. “The satellite industry is not a small player in the world telecommunications industry, and no one would expect financial muscles to prevail over objectivity,” he says. “One can not use financial muscles to kick out the incumbents who still have a huge customer base in the world. IMT 2000 is never here to replace the satellite technology but rather to complement it. The satellite industry is also never here to stop new innovations, unfortunately, the coexistence of the two technologies in the same band is currently not technically feasible.”

But the satellite industry must prepare for more spectrum battles, and the lessons learned during the C-band effort will serve the industry well in the future. “What was a big win is the way the satellite industry came together in a well-organized lobbying campaign,” says Ames. “To have so many governments, organizations, non-profits and technology companies working together to protect a valuable resource shows the tremendous strength and determination of this industry.”

Bednarek believes there are still lessons for the satellite industry to learn. “I would say while it was IMT this time, spectrum is a very scarce resource, and you are always challenged as a user of spectrum to show that you are making the best possible public use and having the highest possible utilization of the spectrum,” he says. “I think it is incumbent upon the satellite industry on a regular basis, and not just when there is an immediate crisis, to make regulators [and] administrators and even our own selves aware of the value of the spectrum and how we are using it at any given time.”

Bottom Line

The satellite industry found its voice, teamed effectively and managed to convince just about everyone that keeping C-band capacity within the industry is vital. But despite the success, lessons do need to be absorbed. While the satellite industry won this time, it may have to do a better job in the future in terms of communicating how it is using spectrum if it is to stave off threats to spectrum, the lifeblood resource of the industry. “It sounds a little strange, but I think process has helped the satellite industry find its voice a little more,” says Bednarek.

While the battle for C-band may have been too close for comfort, the satellite industry emerged victorious and even energized. It must make sure it is never in a position to lose valuable spectrum resources through poor communication.

What Happens Now?

Industry Momentum

Bottom Line

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