Federal Communications Commission  FCC 08-254
STATEMENT OF 
COMMISSIONER MICHAEL J. COPPS
Re:  Globalstar Licensee LLC Application for Modification of License for Operation of 
Ancillary Terrestrial Component Facilities, Order and Authorization
Today’s item provides a satellite licensee with a temporary waiver of the 
Commission’s gating criteria and technical rules related to ancillary terrestrial component 
(ATC) authority.  The net effect of our ruling is to ensure that the licensee and its 
business partner can take advantage of a $267 million loan commitment by the 
Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Utilities Program.  This funding will 
support WiMAX-based wireless broadband coverage in 546 rural communities by 2013.  
Of particular importance, our waiver is strictly time-limited—the licensee must update its 
satellite system by mid-2010 and provide consumers with updated handsets by mid-2011.  
In fact, if the companies are unable to meet the benchmarks imposed by today’s waiver, 
or the terms of the Department of Agriculture’s loan, the waiver and loan will both 
automatically terminate.   
I do want to emphasize that my decision in this matter does not change my long-
held belief that ancillary terrestrial component service by satellite providers must remain 
ancillary—in other words, when it comes to ATC, the tail cannot be allowed to wag the 
dog.  But the practical reality is that if the Commission were to strictly enforce its ATC 
regulations in this matter—rather than grant a temporary waiver—the rural communities 
at issue here would not be able to benefit from the Department of Agriculture’s $267 
million rural broadband loan.  In my view, the problems of broadband unavailability in 
America’s rural areas are just too pressing and too grave to accept delay.