Attachment letter

letter

LETTER submitted by WCS Coalition

letter

2007-05-01

This document pretains to SAT-LOA-20060901-00096 for Application to Launch and Operate on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATLOA2006090100096_571949

                               *              \
Wwitkinson ) BARKER) KNAUER ) LLP                                                           2300 N streer, NW
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                                                                                            Paur J. SinpersRranp
                                                                                            psinderbrand@wbklaw.com




    May 1, 2007

    Helen Domenici
    Chief, International Bureau
    Federal Communications Commission
    Washington, DC 20554

    Fred Campbell
    Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
    Federal Communications Commission
    Washington, DC 20554

                     Re:      Establishment ofRules and Policies for the Satellite Digital Audio Radio
                              Service in the 2310—2360 MHz Band — IB Docket No. 95—91
                             Applications ofXM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Sirius Satellite
                             Radio Inc. for Consent to Transfer ofControl — MB Docket No. 07—57
                             Application ofSirius Satellite Radio Inc. for Authority to Launch and
                              Operate SIRIUS FM—5, a Geostationary Satellite, to Provide Satellite
                             Digital Audio Radio Service —SAT—LOA—20060901—00096
                              WRITTEN EX PARTE COMMUNICATION

   Dear Ms. Domenici and Mr. Campbell:

           I am writing on behalf of the WCS Coalition regarding the response by Sirius Satellite
   Radio Inc. ("Sirius") to the Coalition‘s concerns regarding Sirius‘ plans to commence the
   provision of video services over its Digital Audio Radio Service ("DARS") spectrum later this
         1
   year.

           Between the Coalition‘s initial letter expressing its concerns and Sirius‘ response, the
   material facts regarding the Sirius Backseat TV service are now a matter of record, and the
   Commission would appear to have all the information it needs to determine whether that service




   ‘ See Letter from Robert L. Pettit, Counsel to Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., to Helen Domenici, Chief, International
   Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, and Fred Campbell, Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau,
   Federal Communications Commission, IB Docket No. 95—91 (filed April 25, 2007).


                                           \

WiLkINSON ) BaRKER ) KNAUER| LLP

    Ms. Domenici and Mr. Campbell
    May 1, 2007
    Page 2

    is an "ancillary service" despite Sirius‘ candid acknowledgement that it will utilize up to 20% of
    Sirius‘ authorized spectrum for the transmission of video programming."

            More importantly, the WCS Coalition is pleased with Sirius‘ concession that under
    Section 4.4 of the ITU Radio Regulations, the Commission specifically must preclude any
    Sirius‘ video offerings in the DARS band from causing interference to the Wireless
    Communications Service ("WCS"), and bar Sirius from claiming protection against interference
    to its video offering from wes.> Thus, if the Commission finds on the record before it that
    Sirius Backseat TV is a permitted "ancillary service," the Commission must do as it has done in
    similar situations and condition Sirius‘ operating authority consistent with Section 4.4 of the ITU
    Radio Regulations, making any video offerings by Sirius secondary to WCS operations.*

            Should you have any questions regarding this submission, please contact the undersigned.
    Pursuant to Section 1.1206(b) of the Commission‘s Rules, a copy of this letter is being filed in
    the dockets referenced above utilizing the Electronic Comment Filing System.

                                                                Respectfully submitted,
                                                                /s/ Paul J. Sinderbrand

                                                                Paul J. Sinderbrand
                                                                Counsel to the WCS Coalition


     See id. at 3 ("the back—seat video offering will operate in less than one—fifth of Sirius‘ exclusively—licensed band.").
    > See id. at 4 n.15 (quoting ITU Rad. Reg. § 4.4). Under similar circumstances, the Commission has not hesitated to
    impose the conditions required by Section 4.4 of the ITU Radio Regulations. See, eg. Intelsat LLC, Application to
    Modify Authorization for Intelsat 805 to Allow the Provision of Fixed—Satellite Service Between Non—U.S. Points in
    the 12.7—12.75 GHz Frequency Band, Order and Authorization, 19 FCC Red 2775, 2776 (2004); Flexibility for
    Delivery of Communications by Mobile Satellite Service Providers in the 2 GHz Band, the L—Band, and the 1.6/2.4
    GHz Bands, Report and Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 18 FCC Red 1962, 2066 (2003)("ITU Radio
    Regulations provide for the operation of communications systems that do not conform to the service allocation,
    provided that the services are on a non—harmful interference basis.").
    * Subject to the imposition of such conditions on Sirius‘ video operations, the WCS Coalition withdraws its request
    for rescission of the license issued to Sirius for authority to operate the satellite it calls FM—5. Although the
    Coalition believes, notwithstanding Sirius‘ arguments to the contrary, that Sirius‘ application for this satellite was
    defective for failure to provide the specific information required by Section 25.144(a)(3)(iii) of the Commission‘s
    Rules, the imposition of the conditions even Sirius agrees are required by Section 4.4 of the ITU Radio Regulations
    mitigates any harm to the WCS Coalition‘s members.
    Although the point is moot in light of the WCS Coalition‘s withdrawal of its request for rescission of the FM—5
    license, the Commission should note that the WCS Coalition had no reason to object to the grant of that license
    during the period normally afforded for petitions to deny because Sirius did not announce its arrangement with
    DaimlerChrysler AG‘s Chrysler Group until after that period had run. See, e.g., Chrysier Minivans to Offer Satellite
    TVY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, at B3 (March 30, 2004); James Healy, Chrysler, Sirius to Beam Kids*‘ TV Into ‘08
    Models, USA TODAY, at 1B (March 30, 2007).


Wirkinson ) BARKER) KNAUER| LLP

    Ms. Domenici and Mr. Campbell
    May 1, 2007
    Page 3


    ce:   Hon. Kevin J. Martin
          Hon. Michael J. Copps
          Hon. Jonathan S. Adelstein
          Hon. Deborah Taylor Tate
          Hon. Robert M. McDowell
          Erika Olsen
          Bruce Gottlieb
          Barry Ohlson
          Aaron Goldberger
          Angela Giancarlo
          Julius Knapp
          Robert Nelson
          Roderick Porter
          Robert Pettit, Counsel to Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.



Document Created: 2007-06-06 15:25:58
Document Modified: 2007-06-06 15:25:58

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