The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Dec. 15 unanimously adopted rules for satellite earth stations on vessels (ESVs) in the C- and Ku-bands, rules which the commission said will provide regulatory certainty to ESV licensees while protecting existing users in both bands.

ESV systems generally consist of a network operations center, one or more land-based gateway earth stations and a number of earth stations on vessels. ESV networks can provide telecom services, including Internet access to users on cruise and merchant ships, ferries, barges and other vessels. The federal agency said ESV licenses will be issued to applicants who demonstrate that they are capable of controlling all aspects of their ESV network and who comply with applicable technical parameters in the C- and Ku-bands. ESVs have been operating in the U.S. since 1996 under special temporary authority. At the International Telecommunication Union’s 2003 World Conference, ESVs were formally recognized as a fixed satellite service.

Lisa Cacciatore, engineer in the Policy Division of the FCC’s International Bureau told the commission during a Dec. 15 public meeting that the order would “implement the WRC- 03 decision domestically by establishing licensing and service rules that protect other services.”

“To facilitate licensing for ESV operations in both the C- and Ku-bands, the order would adopt a licensing approach that is consistent with the one used for satellite terminals of a similar size while taking into account the unique operational characteristics of ESVs,” Cacciatore said. “The license would be issued to applicants who demonstrate that they are capable of controlling all aspects of their ESV network,” Cacciatore added. ESV licenses would be issued for 15 years under the order.

C-band Rules

While the specifics of the order were not released to the public by the time Satellite News went to press, during the commission meeting, Cacciatore told the commission that in the C-band where ESVs share operations with incumbent fixed terrestrial and fixed satellite services, “the item establishes three primary operational constraints to protect the incumbent users from harmful interference:

“First, the order would require ESV operators to coordinate all their uplink operations with the fixed terrestrial service. The order would limit both the amount of spectrum that could be coordinated and the number of satellites that operators could use to provide their service.

“Second, the order would limit ESVs to vessels that exceed a specified gross tonnage.

“Third, to protect fixed satellite operators in the C-band, the order establishes off-axis power limits that constrain the power emitted in directions other than toward the target satellite.”

The order also would require ESV operators using the C-band to assist in the resolution of interference where necessary, Cacciatore added. Specifically, ESV operators “would be required to maintain a point of contact at all times, maintain vessel tracking data and automatically terminate transmission if the ESV unexpectedly veers outside a coordinated area.”

On the downlink side, “ESVs in motion would be licensed as a secondary service and would not be permitted to claim protection from interference,” Cacciatore said. “However to the extent that ESVs are docked, and thus not in motion, ESV licensees would have the option to protect their operations by coordinating their downlink frequencies for 180-day intervals.”

Ku-band Rules

“In the Ku-band where there are a limited number of fixed terrestrial services, the order would impose fewer operational restrictions than in the C-band,” Cacciatore said. “For example, unlike in the C-band, ESV operators would not be required to coordinate with fixed terrestrial services and would not be restricted to vessels of a limited size. Similar to the C-band, however, the [order] would establish power limits for the Ku-band to protect fixed satellite service operators.”

Cacciatore noted that there are a limited number of federal government earth stations in the Ku-band uplink and to protect these stations, the order “would require ESVs operating in the affected portions of the Ku-band uplink to coordinate with the Commerce Department.”

Foreign Vessel Rules

With regards to foreign vessels, “the order recognizes the international charter of ESV operations and directs U.S. licensed ESVs to respect the applicable rules as they travel in foreign waters,” Cacciatore said. “The order also establishes a regulatory framework that would enable foreign-licensed ESVs to operate near the United States without causing harmful interference to domestic operations.”

Chairman Applauds Order

FCC Chairman Michael Powell said in a prepared statement issued after the order was adopted, “As broadband technologies continue to expand and become an increasingly vital component of modern communications, the market for broadband via satellite continues to grow. Thus, by continuing to support licenses for ESV operations, we are today advancing the commission’s goals and objectives for market-driven deployment of broadband technologies.”

However, Commissioner Michael Copps expressed some reservations regarding potential interference from foreign vessels.

“I am still concerned with earth stations on foreign flag vessels and with the possibility of completely foreign ESV systems,” Copps said. “The systems will not be subject to some of the protections that we create here. If we discover they pose a serious interference problem, we may need to quickly revisit the subject and find a way to ensure that our private wireless systems are not victimized.”

The Marine Telecommunications Network Inc. said that it “appreciates that the new rules provide for permanent, VSAT-style licensing of ESV networks.”

(Howard Griboff, FCC, 202/418-0657)