Attachment 50798 Reply Comments

This document pretains to SAT-LOA-19941116-00088 for Application to Launch and Operate on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATLOA1994111600088_973577

                                                                                     RECEIVED
                                                                                         MAY — 7 1998
                                         Before the
                            FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION                    Federal Communicctions Commnission
                                     Washington, D.C. 20554                              Office of Secrstary

In the Matter of                               )
                                               )
FINAL ANALYSIS                                 )        File Nos.    25—SAT—P/LA—95
COMMUNICATION SERVICES, INC.                   )                     76—SAT—AMEND—95
                                               )                     79—SAT—AMEND—96
For Authorization to Construct, Launch         )                     151—SAT—AMEND—96
and Operate a Non—Voice, Non—                  )                     7—SAT—AMEND—98
Geostationary Mobile Satellite System          )
in the 148—150.05 MHz, 400.15—401 MHz,         )
and 137—138 MHz bands                          )

To: The Chief, International Bureau

                                      REPLY COMMENTS

         Final Analysis Communication Services, Inc. ("Final Analysis"), by its attorneys hereby

submits this reply to the comments of Leo One USA Corp. ("Leo One") on Final Analysis‘s

request for clarification or stay of a condition placed on Final Analysis‘s above—captioned

authorization to construct, launch and operate a non—voice, non—geostationary mobile satellite

service ("NVNG MSS" or "Little LEO") system.‘            The condition at issue (the "Certification

Condition") is a condition imposed in the International Bureau‘s decision (the "Bureau Order")

of April 1, 1998, on the grant of Final Analyéis’s Little LEO authorization that requires Final

Analysis to certify in writing within 30 days of the release of the order its commitment to

proceeding with implementation of the system as authorized by the Bureau."

         Leo One‘s arguments in opposition to clarification or stay of the Certification Condition

make no sense.       First, Leo One implies that by requesting a tolling of the certification


        See Final Analysis Communication Services, Inc., Order and Authorization, DA 98—616
        (rel. Apnil 1, 1998) (the "Licensing Order").




DCOI/BATAP/36186.1


requirement Final Analysis is seeking a suspension of construction milestones. This is simply

not the case. Final Analysis does not desire an extension of construction milestones. As Leo

One knows, Final Analysis has actually begunconstruction under a Section 319(d) waiver."

Final Analysis has no interest in delaying this proceeding and in fact, has asked for expedited

consideration of the Application for Review it recently filed of the Licensing Order.*

        Second, Leo One is wrong in arguing that the certification requirement is unrelated to the

Joint Proposal. There can be no closer relationship than the fact that the licensed system must

match the system Final Analysis agreed to in the industry settlement. Final Analysis cannot be

deemed to have entered into an agreement that would bind it to build a system that it has never,

and would never, propose and one that it believes is unworkable. If that is the end result of this

licensing proceeding, then there has not been a meeting of the minds and there is no agreement.

Therefore, the settlement fails. Any other conclusion strains rationality. Leo‘s statements that

"The Joint Proposal5 eliminated mutual exclusivity in this proceeding;" and "Final Analysis

cannot change this fact;" are absurd."       Mutual exclusivity is eliminated only by mutual

agreement. If Final Analysis does not receive the benefit of the bargain, there is no agreement


(.. .éontinued)
2        The deadline was recently extended to May 8, 1998. Final Analysis Communication
         Services, Inc. Order, DA 98—838 (rel. May 1, 1998).
3       See Letter from Donald H. Gips, Chief, International Bureau, FCC, to Aileen A. Pisciotta,
        Counsel to Final Analysis, Re: Requestfor Section 319(d) Waiverfiled by Final Analysis
        Communication Services, Inc. (File No. 144—SAT—WAIV—96), dated Sept. 30, 1996
        (granting Section 319(d) construction waiver).
        See Final Analysis, Application for Clarification and Review, filed on May 1, 1998
        ("Application for Review").
5       Joint Proposal of E—SAT, Inc., Final Analysis, Leo One, Orbital Communications
        Corporation, Orbital Sciences Corporation and Volunteers in Technical Assistance, Inc.,
        IB Docket No. 96—220, filed September 22, 1997.

        Leo One Comments at 4.




DCOLBATAP/36186.1                           2


    and mutual exclusivity returns.

           Finally, Leo One is wrong that any "cloud" in this proceeding is of Final Analysis‘s own

making. In its Application for Review,‘ Final Analysis clearfy demonstrates that the license it

has been granted inaccurately and unfairly denies certain critical amendments required to

conform to the Second Round Report and Order® that should have been accepted by the

International Bureau under any of three legal principles —(1) the amendments are necessary to

conform to the frequency plan ("System 2") assigned to Final Analysis in the Second Round

Report and Order; (2) the amendments do not create any increased potential for interference; and

(3) the amendments are necessitated by significant changes in operating parameters and

frequency assignments imposed by the Second Round Report and Order completely unforeseen

when Final Analysis‘s original application was filed in 1994. Clarification or stay of the

certification requirement is necessary so that the Commission can cure this error on review and

the Bureau can correctly issue a license to Final Analysis that will serve the public interest — not,

as Leo One wrongly implies, to serve Final Analysis‘s interest.

           Most importantly, as amply demonstrated in Final Analysis‘s Application for Review, the

Bureau‘s decision is so obscure in certain respects that it is unclear if, or what, the Bureau has

permitted or prohibited with respect to certain critical system parameters, such as data rates and

link configurations,      specified in Final Analysis‘s original application and subsequent




          See Application for Review at 7—19, 22—3.
8         Amendment ofPart 25 ofthe Commission‘s Rules to Establish Rules and Policies
          Pertaining to the Second Processing Round ofthe Non—Voice, Non—Geostationary Mobile
          Satellite Service, IB Docket No. 96—220, Report and Order (rel. October 15, 1997).

9         See Second Round Report and Order at [ 131; 47 C.F.R. §§ 25.116(b)(1), (c)(4).
                                              VJ




DCQOI/BATAP/36186.1


amendments.‘"         Without Commission clarification on review of these aspects of the Bureau‘s

decision, Final Analysis does not actually know what it would be certifying to. Because Final

Analysis does not know what it would be certifying to, it is completely unreasonable to require

Final Analysis to aver, as demanded by the certification condition, that it is committed to

implementing the system "as authorized" in the Bureau Order.

         In any event, with respect to certain other technical parameters clearly set forth in the

Licensing Order, the licensed system is an unworkable regulatory hybrid constellation that is

commercially untenable in the real world."‘ Final Analysis has demonstrated in its Application

for Review that several decisions reached in Licensing Order, including denial of constellation

redesign and increased downlink power, are based upon a misreading of the record and incorrect

analysis. Clarification that the certification condition is tolled or stayed pending review thus also

is necessary so that the Commission has the opportunity to cure the defects in the current license

issued to allow Final Analysis to proceed with a workable Little LEO system.

         Finally, a requirement that Final Analysis certify to do something that it has said it cannot

do — i.e., build the system as licensed —— before consideration of its Application for Review is

completed, would deny Final Analysis its fundamental due process rights. Final Analysis must

be given the opportunity to pursue its administrative remedies to obtain a license for the system it

has designed, consistent with the Joint Proposal and applicable Commission rules and policies,

before it is required to commit to the design and construction of another system it has not

proposed.




         See Application for Review at 20—22.
[        See id. at 5—7.   _


DCOLI/BATAP/36186.1                           4


          WHEREFORE, Final Analysis urges the Bureau to reject Leo One‘s comments and grant

the relief requested in Final Analysis‘s Request for Clarification or Stay, in the public interest,

convenience and necessity.

                              Respectfully submitted,

                              FINAL ANALYSIS COMMUNICATION SERVICES, INC.




                              Aileen A. Pisciotta
                              Peter A. Batacan
                              KELLEY DRYE & WARREN LLP
                              1200 19°" Street, N.W., Suite 500
                              Washington, D.C. 20036
                              (202) 955—9600

                              Its Attorneys




Dated: May 7, 1998
                                              Un




DCOLI/BATAP/36186.1


                                CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

         I, Beatriz Viera, hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing "Reply
Comments" on behalf of Final Analysis Communication Services, Inc. was delivered via hand
delivery or regular mail this 7th day of May 1998, to each of the following:

Chairman William E. Kennard*                         Ms. Regina Keeney*
Federal Communications Commission                    Chief, International Bureau
1919 M Street, NW., Room 814          ‘              Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554                               2000 M Street, NW., Room 830
                                                     Washington, D.C. 20554
Commissioner Gloria Tristani*
Federal Communications Commission                    Ms. Tania Hanna*
1919 M Street, NNW., Room 826                        International Bureau
Washington, D.C. 20554                               Federal Communications Commission
                                                     2000 M Street, NW., Room 800
Commissioner Harold W. Furchtgott—Roth*              Washington, D.C. 20554
Federal Communications Commussion
1919 M Street, NW., Room 802                         Mr. Harold Ng*
Washington, D.C. 20554                               Chief, Satellite Engineering Branch
                                                     Satellite and Radio Communication Div.
Commissioner Susan Ness*                             International Bureau
Federal Communications Commussion                    Federal Communications Commission
1919 M Street, NW., Room 832                         2000 M Street, NW., Room 801
Washington, D.C. 20554                               Washington, D.C. 20554

Commissioner Michael K. Powell *                     Mr. Alex Roytblat*
Federal Communications Commission                    Satellite and Radio Communication Div.
1919 M Street, NW. Room 844                          International Bureau
Washington, D.C. 20554                               Federal Communications Commission
                                                     2000 M Street, NW., Room 500
Mr. Thomas Tycz*                                     Washington, D.C. 20554
Chief Satellite Division
Federal Communications Commission                    Stephen Goodman, Esq.
2000 M Street, NW., Room 811                         Halprin, Temple & Goodman
Washington, D.C. 20054                               Suite 650 East
                                                     1100 New York Avenue, NW.
Ms. Cassandra Thomas*                                Washington, D.C. 20005
Deputy Chief, International Bureau                      Counsel for ORBCOMM
Federal Communications Commission
2000 M Street, NW., Room 810
Washington, D.C. 20554




DCOL/PISCA/27357.1


Henry Goldberg, Esq.                     Mr. Richard Barth
Joseph Godles, Esq.                      U.S. Department of Commerce
Mary Dent, Esq.                          National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Goldberg, Godles, Wiener & Wright          Administration
1229 19th Street, NW.                    Office of Radio Frequency Management
Washington, D.C. 20036                   Room 2246, SSMC—2
   Counsel for Volunteers in Technical   1325 East West Highway
   Assistance                            Silver Spring, MD 20910

Robert A. Mazer, Esq.                    Mr. William T. Hatch
Vinson & Elkins                          Associate Administrator
1455 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.            Spectrum Management
Washington, D.C. 20004—1008              U.S. Department of Commerce
   Counsel for Leo One USA               National Telecommunications and
                                           Information Administration
Leslie Taylor, Esq.                      14 and Constitution Avenue, NW.
Leslie Taylor Associates, Inc.           Washington, D.C. 20230
6800 Carlynn Court
Bethesda, MD 20817—4302                  Kira Alvarez, Esq.
    Counsel for E—Sat                    Attorney Advisor
                                         Office of General Counsel
Mr. Nelson Pollack                       National Atmospheric and Oceanic Adm.
AFFMA                                    (Dept. of Commerce)
4040 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 204      1325 East—West Highway 18111
Arlington, VA 22203—1613                 Silver Spring, MD 20910




                                                A Yb
                                           Beatriz Viera




* Hand Delivered

DCOUPISCA/27357.1



Document Created: 2012-11-02 13:31:51
Document Modified: 2012-11-02 13:31:51

© 2025 FCC.report
This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FCC