[Satellite Today 12-22-08]  Solaris Mobile, a Eutelsat-SES Astra joint venture, has been confirmed by the European Commission (EC) as an admissible candidate for the two-stage application process for the provision of mobile satellite services across Europe, Solaris Mobile announced Dec. 19.
    Solaris Mobile was one of four companies to submit an application to the EC in October for the rollout of S-Band spectrum mobile satellite services under a single European selection procedure.
    “We would especially support the commitment of the EC to award procedure guidelines that are public, transparent and defined in advance as well as the aspiration that full interoperability and EU-wide mobile TV roaming will be important considerations for mobile TV service providers,” Steve Maine, Solaris Mobile CEO, said in a statement. “The EC has also recognized that speed in service delivery will be key for global competitiveness, and therefore we are also in favor of the recommendation that frequencies made available for mobile TV should be withdrawn if the service has not started within a reasonable time.”