Attachment 2003Hughes-Pegasus r

2003Hughes-Pegasus r

REPLY submitted by Pegasus

ltr

2003-01-07

This document pretains to SAT-LOA-19950929-00126 for Application to Launch and Operate on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATLOA1995092900126_860520

ShawPittman ur                                                                                            OR'G‘NAL
A Limited Liability Partnership Including Professional Corporations
                                                                       Tony LIN
                                                                       202.663.8452
                                                                       tony.lin@shawpittman.com




                                                                      January 7, 2003

                                                                                                           RECEIVED
        By Courier

        Marlene H. Dortch                                                                                    JAN — 7 2003
        Office of the Secretary                                                                        FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISBION
        Federal Communications Commission                                                                    OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
        445 12th Street SW
        Washington, DC 20554


                      Re:           Opposition to Proposed Order of Hughes Network Systems, Inc.
                                    Relevant Proceedings Listed on Attached Page

        Dear Ms. Dortch:

                 Pegasus Development Corporation ("Pegasus") hereby responds to the Proposed
        Order submitted by Hughes Network Systems, Inc. ("Hughes") on December 20, 2002
        regarding the referenced proceedings. Hughes should not receive any further authority
        until it has explained how the same satellites it has represented will be deployed for
        service to the United States can also be deployed to satisfy commitments it has made in
        connection with its application for Canadian Ka—band authority at 107.3°W. Hughes is
        playing a shell game that frustrates the Commission‘s goals of facilitating new services
        and new competitors.

                 Hughes has an abundance of prime orbital resources.‘ Not counting those of its
        affiliate PanAmSat, Hughes holds authorizations to operate Ka—band satellites from
        twelve orbital locations," including 99°W and 101°W, two of the best locations for



        ‘ See, e.g., Petition for Reconsideration, File Nos. 3—DSS—P/LA—94 et al. (March 2, 2001);
        Comments, File Nos. SAT—MOD—20011221—00135 et al. (February 2, 2002).
        > On December 20, 2002, Hughes submitted a letter tendering for cancellation its first—round
        authorizations for Ka—band spacecraft at 54°E and 164°E. Hughes‘ PanAmSat subsidiary holds
        authorizations for another 13 orbital locations.



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2300 N Street, NW Washington, DC 20037—1128                           202.663.8000 Fax: 202.663.8007          www.shawpittman.com          London


Marlene H. Dortch
January 7, 2003
Page 2

providing full coverage of the United States and Canada. Nonetheless, shortly after the
Commission awarded the 107°W orbital location to Pegasus, Hughes sought a license for
the 107.3°W orbital location from Industry Canada. Hughes had never sought the 107°W
location in the Commission‘s second round* and had never sought the 107.3°W license in
earlier license proceedings in Canada. Hughes‘ interest in the 107.3°W orbital location is
oddly coincident with the Commission‘s grant of the 107°W license to Pegasus, over
Hughes‘ objection. Grant of the Canadian 107.3°W license to Hughes would potentially
convey ITU date priority to Hughes, in derogation of Pegasus‘ United States—issued
license.

         Hughes‘ Industry Canada effort undermines the Commussion‘s licensing process.
Hughes has further compromised the Commuission‘s licensing process by promising
Canada that, if licensed, it will re—purpose one of its SPACEWAY satellites, reportedly
under construction, to the Canadian 107.3°W orbital location. Those are the same
satellites Hughes has continually assured the Commission — in support of the instant
modification request and in support of its milestone compliance, that it intends to deploy
into some of its many United States—licensed orbital locations.*

         Hughes has already begun returning licenses and has publicly indicated that it is
substantially scaling back its Ka—band satellite ambitions.‘ It has never claimed that it has
enough Ka—band satellites on order to populate even half of the orbital locations for
which it is licensed, yet it still controls 12 Ka—band orbital locations and is seeking yet
another through Canada. Its second milestone occurs later this month. That will be the
appropriate time to determine how many licenses Hughes reasonably requires to fulfill



* See, e.g., Letter to Donald Abelson from Joslyn Read (June 26, 2001).
* Though Canada holds ITU date priority at the 107.3°W Ka—band orbital location, that priority
lapses in 2004. It is highly unlikely that any party can bring that orbital location into use
pursuant to the Canadian filing unless it re—purposes a satellite already under construction.
Hughes‘ commitment to re—deploy one of its United States—licensed SPACEWAY satellites was
intended to address that issue.
* See Communications Daily, Vol. 22 No. 241, at 9—10 (December 16, 2002). Hughes also
recently received authorization to provide Ka—band services to Canada from its Commission—
authorized satellites at 99°W and 101°W, raising more questions concerning its interest in a
Canadian space station authorization for operation at 107.3°W.


Marlene H. Dortch
January 7, 2003
Page 3

plans that should be mature: Hughes applied for Ka—band authority nearly eight years
ago, and it has been licensed for nearly six years. The Commission should make that
decision based on Hughes®‘ real requirements, which can only be expressed in terms of its
genuine plans.

        Given that the market is very different than it was a few years ago, Hughes and
other licensees should be given reasonable flexibility. Nonetheless, Hughes should not
be permitted to play a shell game, effectively using a limited procurement as both a
sword, through Canada, and a shield, through protracted control of Commission licenses
for orbital locations it has no concrete plans to pursue nearly six years after being
authorized. When a company endowed with as many orbital resources as Hughes makes
contradictory statements to two different regulatory bodies, and when the effect of those
statements is to undermine both the interests of the United States and the plans of other
licensees, the Commission can and should seek a simple clarification. In Hughes‘ case,
that clarification is overdue. If the Commission waits to determine which of Hughes‘
prime orbital locations it has abandoned, it will be too late to reassign any orbital
locations to Pegasus or another second—round licensee.

        Hughes argues that Pegasus lacks standing to challenge the referenced
proceedings and that the issues raised are moot as a result of the resolution of the second
Ka—band processing round. Like other second—round licensees, Pegasus did not receive
its first—choice of orbital locations, as many of the best orbital locations were previously
licensed to first—round applicants that, like Hughes, have since abandoned or scaled back
their Ka—band plans. Pegasus seeks the chance to request reassignment to one or more
orbital locations that are or may become available from returned or reclaimed first—round
licenses. As it seems clear that many of the licensed Ka—band orbital locations will not be
brought into use prior to the ITU bringing into use deadlines, we support Commission
efforts to match existing licensees with the orbital locations that best meet their business
requirements and the public interest. Hughes controls orbital locations that are extremely
compatible with Pegasus‘ business plans.‘ Should any first—round orbital locations
become available, Pegasus would need to modify its plans very quickly in order to meet
the ITU deadline.




° Specifically, either the 99°W or the 101°W Ka—band orbital location would allow Pegasus to
provide the most seamless small dish service to its current customers, which are served primarily
from 101°W.


Marlene H. Dortch
January 7, 2003
Page 4

       In summary, the Commission should require Hughes to identify which orbital
locations it intends to pursue, and specifically to state whether it plans to deploy one of
the SPACEWAY satellites committed to fulfill its United States licenses, to Canada
instead. In any case, absent a clear disclosure from Hughes, any action on this matter
before the second, first—round milestone deadline passes is premature.



                                              Very truly yours,
                                                    x;:?      /

                                              *to
                                            " Bruée D. Jacobs
                                              Tony Lin

ce:    Jennifer Gilsenan
       Selina Khan
       John Janka, Counsel for Hughes


PENDING PROCEEDINGS

In the Matter of




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Hughes Network Systems, Inc.

Application for Minor Modification of                                                                                                                                                                                               File No.   SAT—MOD—20011221—00135
Authority to Construct, Launch and Operate                                                                                                                                                                                          S$2133
a Ka—band Satellite System in the Fixed—                                                                                                                                                                                            File No.   SAT—MOD—20011221—00136
Satellite Service                                                                                                                                                                                                                   $2132
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No.   SAT—MOD—20020815—001 54
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    S2341
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No.   SAT—MOD—20020815—00155
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    $2339
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No.   SAT—MOD—20020815—00156
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    $2338
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No.   SAT—MOD—20020815—00157
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    $2340
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No.   SAT—MOD—20021018—00191
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    S2188
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No.   SAT—MOD—20021018—00192
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    S$2187
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No.   SAT—MOD—20021023—00193
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    $2190
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No.   SAT—MOD—20021023—00194
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    S2185

Application for Authority to Construct,                                                                                                                                                                                             File No. 3—DSS—P/LA—94
Launch and Operate a Ka—band Satellite                                                                                                                                                                                              IBFS No. SAT—LOA—19931203—00040
System in the Fixed—Satellite Service                                                                                                                                                                                               File No. 4—DSS—P/LA—94
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    IBFS No. SAT—LOA—19931203—00041
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No. 174—SAT—P/LA—95
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    IBFS No. SAT—LOA—19950929—00125
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No. 175—SAT—P/LA—95
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    IBFS No. SAT—LOA— 19950929—00126
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No. 176—SAT—P/LA—95
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    IBFS No. SAT—LOA—19950929—00127
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No. 177—SAT—P/LA—95
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    IBFS No. SAT—LOA—19950929—00128
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No. 178—SAT—PILA—95
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    IBF S No. SAT—LOA—I 9950929—00129
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    File No. 179—SAT—P/LA—95
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    IBFS No. SAT—LOA—19950929—00137



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Document Modified: 2019-04-07 05:42:30

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