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 NEWS  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT: 
 August  9,  2001  Maureen  Peratino  at  (202)  418-  0506 


 FCC  INITIATES  RULEMAKING  ON  FLEXIBILITY  IN  DELIVERY  OF  MOBILE  SATELLITE  SERVICES 
 Notice  Adopted  in  Response  to  Industry  Proposals 
 Washington,  D.  C.  --  Today  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  (Commission) 
 adopted  a  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  (Notice)  seeking  comment  on  proposals  to  bring 
 flexibility  to  the  delivery  of  communications  by  mobile  satellite  service  (MSS)  providers.  The 
 Commission  initiated  this  proceeding  as  a  result  of  proposals  submitted  by  two  MSS  operators  to 
 incorporate  a  wireless  “ancillary  terrestrial  component”  (ATC)  into  their  MSS  satellite  networks. 


 In  initiating  the  proceeding,  the  Commission  recognized  that  the  potential  long-  term 
 benefits  of  MSS  such  as  deployment  of  broadband  services  to  rural  areas  merit  consideration  of 
 the  ATC  proposal.  New  ICO  Global  Communications  (Holdings)  Ltd.  (New  ICO)  and  Motient 
 Services,  Inc.  (Motient)  have  proposed  this  use  in  filings  with  the  Commission.  These  parties 
 contend  that  although  a  satellite  system  is  ideally  suited  to  serve  rural  areas,  it  is  technically 
 more  difficult  for  MSS  systems  to  deliver  service  in  urban  areas  where  satellite  signals  may  be 
 blocked. 


 The  Commission  did  not  state  tentative  conclusions  in  the  Notice  but  seeks  comment  on 
 approaches  by  which  the  Commission  may  permit  more  flexible  use  of  MSS  spectrum.  The 
 Commission  recognized  that  this  concept  raises  new  issues  regarding  allocation  and  licensing  of 
 spectrum-  based  services,  particularly  different  approaches  for  licensing  satellite  and  terrestrial 
 services.  The  Commission  said  that  it  intends  to  establish  a  record  on  a  variety  of  policies  and 
 economic  and  technical  issues  raised  by  the  New  ICO  and  Motient  proposals,  including 
 potentially  innovative  ideas  that  may  result  in  improved  quality  and  availability  of  services  to  the 
 public. 


 The  Notice  seeks  comment  on  the  industry  filers’  claims  that  allowing  terrestrial 
 operations  in  conjunction  with  MSS  networks  is  important  to  ensure  the  commercial  viability  of 
 MSS  systems  and  to  promote  the  Commission’s  goal  of  bringing  access  to  advanced 
 communications  services  to  rural  and  underserved  areas  of  the  country.  It  asks  whether  and  how 
 the  Commission  might  bring  flexibility  in  MSS  spectrum  either  by: 
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 (1)  permitting  2  GHz  and  L-  band  MSS  operators  to  provide  service  in  areas  where  the  MSS 
 signals  are  attenuated  by  integrating  terrestrial  operations  with  their  networks  using 
 assigned  MSS  frequencies,  as  has  been  proposed  by  two  operators;  or 


 (2)  opening  up  portions  of  the  2  GHz  and  L-  bands  for  any  operator  to  provide  terrestrial 
 services  that  could  either  be  offered  in  conjunction  with  MSS  or  as  an  alternative  mobile 
 service. 


 The  Notice  also  seeks  comment  on  whether  the  preliminary  approaches  outlined  for  possible 
 terrestrial  operations  in  the  2  GHz  band  also  could  be  adopted  for  satellite  operations  in  the  Big 
 LEO  (Low  Earth  Orbit)  bands,  given  the  similarity  between  these  systems  and  MSS  operations 
 in  the  2  GHz  and  L-  band  MSS  services. 


 In  addition,  the  Commission  sought  comment  on: 
 x  the  policy  basis  for  permitting  use  of  MSS  spectrum  for  terrestrial  operations; 
 x  conditions  to  ensure  terrestrial  services  integrated  into  an  MSS  network  remains  ancillary 


 to  the  satellite  services  provided  by  MSS  operators;  x 
 alternative  approaches  to  use  MSS  spectrum  on  an  ancillary  basis  such  as  making 
 spectrum  available  to  other  operations  to  provide  terrestrial  service  in  conjunction  with 
 the  MSS  systems  or  on  a  stand-  alone  basis;  x 
 licensing  requirements  for  ancillary  use  by  MSS  operators;  x 
 technical  rules  relating  to  protection  of  adjacent  channel  and  intra-  band  operations  as  well 
 as  restrictions  on  tower  heights  and  transmit  powers;  and  x 
 implications  on  current  rules  in  place  for  relocation  and  reimbursement  for  broadcast 
 auxiliary  services. 


 The  specific  proposals  filed  were  by:  New  ICO  for  operating  in  the  2  GHz  band  (1990- 
 2025/  2165-  2200  MHz)  band;  and  Motient  for  operating  in  the  L-  band  (1525-  1559/  1626.5-  1660.5 
 MHz  ).  (On  July  17,  2001,  the  International  Bureau  authorized  eight  satellite  systems,  including 
 New  ICO,  to  use  spectrum  in  the  2  GHz  band;  those  authorizations  did  not  address  the  New  ICO 
 petition  at  issue  in  this  proceeding.) 


 Action  by  the  Commission  August  9,  2001,  by  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  (FCC  01- 
 225).  Chairman  Powell,  Commissioners  Tristani,  Abernathy,  Copps  and  Martin. 


 For  further  information  contact:  James  L.  Ball,  Associate  Chief,  International  Bureau 
 (202)  418-  0427,  or  Breck  Blalock,  Deputy  Chief,  Planning  and  Negotiations  Division, 
 International  Bureau  (202)  418-  8191. 


 IB  Docket  No.  01-  185 
 ET  Docket  No.  95-  18 


 --  FCC  -- 
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