[Satellite Today 05-15-09] The European Commission (EC) selected Inmarsat and Solaris Mobile to operate mobile satellite services (MSS) system in Europe using 60 megahertz of S-band radio spectrum, the EC announced May 14.
    The awards conclude an application process which began in August and involved several competing companies, including TerreStar, ICO, Thuraya and Ondas. The EC said that four operators were admitted to the selection phase in December and with the assistance of independent experts, analyzed the technical and commercial development of the MSS competitors in cooperation with national authorities.
    Inmarsat’s S-band satellite program, known as EuropaSat, aims to deliver next-generation telecommunications services across member states of the European Union by means of a hybrid satellite-terrestrial network. Solaris Mobile, a joint venture between Eutelsat and SES Astra, said it plans to provide TV, video and radio aimed primarily at broadcasters, telco operators, the automotive industry, and data providers.
    The S-band sits alongside UMTS frequencies that are already used across Europe for 3G terrestrial services. Separately, Solaris Mobile said it is evaluating the S-band payload on the W2A satellite, which was launched in April, after testing found an anomaly. Additional analysis is planned with satellite prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space to assess the extent of the S-band payload’s capability to provide services .