Attachment April 21 2003 letter

April 21 2003 letter

SUBMISSION FOR THE RECORD submitted by TMI

April 21 2003 letter

2003-04-21

This document pretains to SAT-AMD-20001103-00152 for Amended Filing on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATAMD2000110300152_1172872

                                                                                                                    VINSON & ELKINS LL.P,
                                                                                                                    THE WILLARD OFFICE BUILDING
    i     C   ci                                                                                                    1455 PENNSYLVANIA AVE,, NXW.
   Vinson&¥Elkins                                                                                                   WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004.1008
   ATTORNEYS AT LAW                                                                                                 TELEPHONE (202) 639—4500
                                                                                                                    BAX (202) 639—6604
                                                                                                                    wowvelawcom

                                                                                                                    Gregory C. Staple
                                                                                                                    Direct Dial 202—639—6744
                                                                                                                    Direct Fax 202—879—8944
                                                                                                                    gstaple@velaw.com
                                                           April 21, 2003
   Via Hand Delivery

   Ms. Marlene H. Dortch                                                 HECEIVED                             Hscb.
   Secretary                                                                                                4P/p 4             'Vw
   Federal Communications Commission                                       APR 2 1 2003                                   3
   445 12th Street, S.W.                                             FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISEION
                                                                                                                               200
   Washinj gton, D.C. 20554                                                FFICE OF THE SECRETARY       M&an

                      Re:        TMI Communications and Company Limited Partnership                                       B‘%h
                                 File No     189—SAT—LO3—97
                                 IBFS Nos.   SAT—LOI—19970926—00161



   Dear Ms. Dortch:

           Transmitted herewith, on behalf of TMI Communications and Company Limited
   Partnership (TMI), pursuant to Section 1.65 of the Commission‘s Rules, 47 C.F.R. §1.65, are
   five copies of a newly discovered Canadian Government document of decisional significance to
   the pending March 10, 2003 Application for Review of TMI and its affiliate, TerreStar
   Networks, Inc. (TerreStar). That Application seeks reversal of the International Bureau‘s
   February 7, 2003 Order canceling TMI‘s letter of intent (LOI) authorization to provide Mobile
   Satellite Service (MSS) in the 2 GHz band because TMI allegedly had failed to meet the initial
   construction milestone by entering into a non—contingent satellite manufacturing contract.

             The      attached         document       is    a   letter      from      Jan     Skora,        Director            General,
   Radiocommmunication and Broadcasting Regulatory Branch, Industry Canada, to Mr. Ted H.
   Ignacy, Vice President, Finance, TMI. It states that TMI "has met the requirements of
   condition 6.2 of our [Industry Canada] approval in principle" — the Canadian construction
   milestone — and "have demonstrated that TMI is bound to a contractual agreement for the
   construction of the proposed satellite."

             Although the letter is dated August 23, 2002, TMI did not locate this correspondence in
   its files until April 9, 2003 whereupon it was provided to the undersigned counsel. Without any
   knowledge of the contents of the foregoing letter, TMI‘s prior statements to the Bureau and the
   Commission regarding Industry Canada‘s review of the construction milestones in its Canadian
   authorization were incomplete and potentially misleading.

             In particular, on February 6, 2003, in its Opposition to Petition to Deny, at p. 13, TMI
   stated that it had submitted two interrelated satellite construction contracts between TMI,
   239203_1.D0C


AUSTIN   +   BEWING   *   DALLAS   +    HOUSTON   +    LONDON    +    MO§COW     +   NEWYORK        *   SINGAPORE     +       WaSHINGTON, D.C.


Page 2
April 21, 2003

TerreStar, and Space Systems/Loral (Loral) in satisfaction of the construction contract milestone
(i.e., condition 6.2) in its Canadian authorization. TMI advised: "Industry Canada has not stated
that the arrangement is non—compliant with the conditions in TMI‘s approval—in—principle, and
TMI and TerreStar have consequently moved forward with the construction of the MSS system
based upon said agreements . . ." [footnote omitted].

        Similarly, on March 12, 2003, in TMI‘s Application For Review (filed jointly with
TerreStar), the Commission was advised (also at p. 13):

                 "To comply with the contract milestone in its Canadian license (a
                 ‘signature of contract for the first of two satellites by July 14,
                 2002‘), TMI submitted to Industry Canada the same interrelated
                 contracts between TMI, TerreStar and Loral that were submitted to
                 the FCC. However, unlike the FCC, it is not the practice of
                 Industry Canada to issue a notice advising the public that a satellite
                 grantee has met an applicable milestone. In Canada, satellite
                 grantees are typically assumed to have met their milestones, unless
                 they are notified to the contrary by Industry Canada. TMI has not
                 received any such notice from Industry Canada. In fact, to TMI‘s
                 knowledge, Industry Canada is fully satisfied with the submissions
                 that TMI has filed in connection with its Canadian authorization in
                 principle and it has not advised TMI of any concerns or defects
                 with TMI‘s filings to date." [footnote omitted]

        Though the foregoing statements are still accurate, TMI now recognizes that they are
incomplete and may have raised unjustified questions in the mind of the Bureau and the
Commission regarding Industry Canada‘s oversight of the milestones in TMI‘s approval in
principle. However, the affirmative statements made by Industry Canada in the enclosed letter
("you have met the requirements of condition 6.2 [and] have demonstrated that TMI is bound to
a contractual agreement for the construction of the proposed satellite") plainly resolve any such
questions.

         The Industry Canada letter also leaves no doubt that, as of July 17, 2002 — the date of the
satellite manufacturing contract milestone in TMI‘s FCC authorization — TMI had already
satisfied the analogous Canadian milestone condition.

        Any questions regarding this letter should be directed to the undersigned.

                                               Very truly yours,




ce: Attached service list
                                                    misg‘
                                                    Stap




239203_1.DOC


I*I   industry Canada        Industrie Canada

      300 Slater Street
      Ottawa, ON K1A 0C8




                                                                          File : 6215—3—4
                                                                           of 2 3 2002
      Mr. Ted H. Ignacy
      Vice—President, Finance
      TMI Communications and Company, LP
      1601 Telesat Court
      P.O. Box 9826
      Ofawa, ON
      K1G S5M2


      Dear Mr. Ignacy:

              Thank you for your letter of July 25, 2002 providing evidence showing
      that TMI Communications and Company, LP satisfies condition 6.2 of our
      approval in principle for your 2 GHz mobile satellite system.

              The Department has reviewed your submission and I am pleased to advise
      you that you have met the requirements of condition 6.2 of our approval in
      principle, namely that you have demonstrated that TMI is bound to a contractual
      agreement for the construction of the proposed satellite.

               I now look forward to your submission of the semi—annual report as
      required per condition 15 of the approval—in—principle, including an update on the
      development of the Canadian—owned and controlled entity that will operate the
      satellite network leading to the eventual submission of information to the
      Department demonstrating eligibility to hold the licences for the network.

                                                    Yours sincerely,



                                                   /’/fi%«mz\
                                                    Jan Skora
                                                    Director General
                                                    Radiocommunication and
                                                    Broadcasting Regulatory Branch
                       Led
       Canadia


                               CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

        I, Ana Maria Ablaza, hereby certify that a copy of the foregoing letter from Gregory
Staple, counsel, TMI Communications, to Ms. MarleneH. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, dated
April 21, 2003, and the appended Industry Canada letter dated August 23, 2002 have been served
this 21st day of April, 2003, by first class United States mail, postage prepaid, or by hand
delivery (*), on the following:

*The Honorable Michael K. Powell                *The Honorable Kathleen Q. Abernathy
Chairman                                        Commissioner
Federal Communications Commission               Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW                             445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554                            Washington, DC 20554


*The Honorable Michael Copps                    *The Honorable Kevin Martin
Commissioner                                    Commissioner
Federal Communications Commission               Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW                             445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554                            Washington, DC 20554


*The Honorable Jonathan S. Adelstein            *Jennifer Manner
Commissioner                                    Legal Advisor
Federal Communications Commission               Office of Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy
445 12th Street, SW                             Federal Communications Commission
Washington, DC 20554                            445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 8—B115
                                                Washington, D.C. 20554


*R. Paul Margie                                 *Barry Ohlson
Legal Advisor                                   Interim Legal Advisor
Office of Commissioner Michael Copps            Office of Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein
Federal Communications Commission               Federal Communications Commission
445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 8—A302              445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 8—C302
Washington D.C. 20554                           Washington, D.C. 20554


*Bryan Tramont                                  *Donald Abelson, Chief
Senior Legal Advisor                            International Bureau
Office of Chairman Michael K. Powell            Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission               445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 6—C750
445 —12th Street, SW, Room 8—B201               Washington, D.C. 20554
Washington, D.C. 20554




239203_1.DOC


*Samuel L. Feder                       *John Muleta, Chief
Legal Advisor                          Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
Federal Communications Commission      Federal Communications Commission
Office of Commissioner Kevin Martin    445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 3—C252
445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 8—A204     Washington, DC 20554
Washington, D.C. 20554


*John Rogovin                          *Edmond J. Thomas, Chief
General Counsel                        Office of Engineering and Technology
Office of General Counsel              Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission      445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 7—C153
445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 8—C750     Washington, DC 20554
Washington, DC 20554


*David E. Horwitz                      *Robert M. Pepper, Chief
Attorney Advisor                       Office of Plans & Policy
Office of General Counsel              Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission      445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 7—C347
445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 8—A636     Washington, DC 20554
Washington, DC 20554


*Neil A. Dellar                        *J. Breck Blalock
Office of General Counsel              Deputy Chief, Policy Division
Federal Communications Commission      International Bureau
445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 8—C818     Federal Communications Commission
Washington, DC 20554                   445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 6—A764
                                       Washington, DC 20554


*Howard Griboff                        *Thomas S. Tycz
Attorney Advisor, Satellite Division   Chief, Satellite Division
International Bureau                   International Bureau
Federal Communications Commission      Federal Communications Commission
445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 6—C467     445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 6—A665
Washington, DC 20554                   Washington, DC 20554


*Karl A. Kensinger                     *Christopher Murphy
Special Advisor, Satellite Division    Senior Legal Advisor
International Bureau                   International Bureau
Federal Communications Commission      Federal Communications Commission
445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 6—A663     445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 6—C750
Washington, DC 20554                   Washington, DC 20554




239203_1.D0C


*Alexandra Field                     John T. Scott, III
Senior Legal Advisor                 Charla M. Rath
International Bureau                 Cellco Partnership
Federal Communications Commission    d/b/a/ Verizon Wireless
445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 6—C407   1300 I Street, NW., Suite 400—W
Washington, DC 20554                 Washington, D.C. 20005


*Richard B. Engelman                 J.R. Carbonell
Chief Engineer                       Carol L. Tacker
International Bureau                 David G. Richards
Federal Communications Commission    Cingular Wireless LLC
445 — 12th Street, SW, Room 6—A668   5565 Glenridge Connector, Suite 1700
Washington, DC 20554                 Atlanta, GA 30342


Kathryn A. Zachem                    Jonathan Blake
L. Andrew Tollin                     Gerard J. Waldron
Craig E. Gilmore                     Covington & Burling
Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP         1201 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.
2300 N Street, NW., Suite 700        Washington, D.C. 20044—7566
Washington, D.C. 20037               Counselfor TerreStar Networks, Inc.
Counselfor Wireless Carriers


Douglas I. Brandon
AT&T Wireless Services, Inc.
1150 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036




                                           Ana Maria Ablaza




239203_1.DOC



Document Created: 2017-02-01 14:28:06
Document Modified: 2017-02-01 14:28:06

© 2024 FCC.report
This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FCC