Hughes Ex Parte Lett

Ex PARTE PRESENTATION NOTIFICATION LETTER submitted by Hughes Network Systems, LLC

Ex Parte

2018-06-01

This document pretains to SAT-LOA-20170621-00092 for Application to Launch and Operate on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATLOA2017062100092_1409812

O3b Limited
3rd Floor, Anley House 5 Anley Street
St.Helier, Jersey JE2 3QE Channel Islands
T +44 (0) 1534 828 592
www.o3bnetworks.com

June 4, 2018

VIA ELECTRONIC FILING

Marlene H. Dortch
Secretary
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554

      Re: Notice of Written Ex Parte Presentation, O3b Limited, File Nos. SAT-MOD-
           20160624-00060, SAT-AMD-20161115-00116, SAT-AMD-20170301-00026 &
           SAT-AMD-20171109-00154
Dear Ms. Dortch:
Pursuant to Section 1.1206(b)(2)(iv) of the Commission’s rules, O3b Limited (“O3b”) hereby
responds to an ex parte letter Iridium Constellation LLC (“Iridium”) submitted on May 31,
2018. 1 The Iridium Letter references changes requested by O3b 2 to the Commission’s draft
decision relating to the above-referenced applications. 3 Two of those changes concern the 19.3-
19.7 GHz and 29.1-29.5 GHz bands, a portion of which Iridium uses for feeder links for its non-
geostationary satellite orbit (“NGSO”) mobile-satellite service (“MSS”) network.
Notably, Iridium does not object to O3b’s request that the Commission clarify that coordination
with Iridium is not a prerequisite for O3b’s operation in NGSO MSS feeder link band segments
and polarization configurations that Iridium does not use. 4 Thus, Iridium implicitly
acknowledges that O3b need not coordinate with Iridium to operate on spectrum in which
Iridium has no operations.
Iridium’s opposition to O3b’s second request – for authority to commence U.S. operations in
NGSO MSS feeder link frequencies pending completion of coordination with Iridium 5 – is
without merit, as the Commission’s regulatory framework fully protects Iridium from any

1
  Letter from Joseph A. Godles, Counsel to Iridium Constellation LLC, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, Federal
Communications Commission, IBFS File Nos. SAT-MOD-20160624-00060, et al. (filed May 31, 2018) (“Iridium
Letter”); 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(2)(iv).
2
  Letter from Suzanne Malloy, Vice-President, Regulatory Affairs, O3b Limited, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary,
Federal Communications Commission, IBFS File Nos. SAT-MOD-20160624-00060, et al., at 2 (filed May 31,
2018) (“O3b Letter”).
3
  Modification of U.S. Market Access for O3b Limited, Order and Declaratory Ruling, IBFS File Nos. SAT-MOD-
20160624-00060, SAT-AMD-20161115-00116, SAT-AMD-20170301-00026 & SAT-AMD-20171109-00154,
FCC-CIRC1806-05 (rel. May 17, 2018) (“Draft Order”).
4
  O3b Letter at 1-2, ¶ 1.
5
  Id. at 2, ¶ 2.


potential interference resulting from O3b’s use of this spectrum. As O3b has repeatedly
emphasized, it is committed to coordinating with Iridium, 6 and O3b anticipates that coordination
discussions will be well advanced – if not completed – before O3b deploys satellites equipped
with NGSO MSS feeder link spectrum. O3b is simply seeking to ensure that any coordination
condition does not delay operations when there is no chance of interference.
Contrary to Iridium’s claim, authorizing O3b satellites to use NGSO MSS feeder link spectrum
pending coordination will not “expose Iridium’s operations to harmful interference.” 7 O3b
cannot begin feeder link operations in the U.S. until the Commission licenses one or more O3b
earth stations to operate in these bands. Section 25.250 of the Commission’s rules governs
sharing between NGSO MSS networks in this spectrum and specifies that coordination is
required only for “NGSO MSS feeder link earth stations separated by 800 km or less.” 8 Under
this rule, an O3b feeder link earth station located more than 800 km from an existing Iridium
facility by definition does not pose an interference threat to Iridium and can be deployed without
prior coordination.
The Commission should modify the language of Paragraph 46.c of the Draft Order to ensure
consistency with the sharing framework codified in Section 25.250. In particular, the second
sentence of Paragraph 46.c as written could be read to prohibit O3b from communicating with
MSS feeder link earth stations in the U.S. that do not require coordination under Section 25.250
until after O3b has completed coordination with Iridium for any O3b earth stations proposed to
be located within 800 km of an Iridium feeder link site. To guard against such a
misinterpretation, O3b suggests that the Commission revise the second sentence of
Paragraph 46.c by reordering the clauses and adding an express reference to Section 25.250:
        Transmissions in these frequency bands to or from any earth station located in U.S.
        territory for which coordination is required under Section 25.250 shall not be conducted
        until a coordination agreement for that earth station is obtained.
This formulation fully protects Iridium while allowing O3b to commence use of NGSO MSS
feeder link spectrum as permitted by Commission provisions for sharing of these frequencies.
                                          Sincerely,


                                          ___________________
                                          Suzanne Malloy
                                          Vice-President, Regulatory Affairs
                                          E: Suzanne.Malloy@o3bnetworks.com
                                          T: +1 202.813.4014
                                          M: +1 202.352.5985

cc: Joseph A. Godles
    Scott Blake Harris

6
  See, e.g., O3b Limited, File No. SAT-AMD-20171109-00154, Narrative at 5.
7
  Iridium Letter at 2.
8
  47 C.F.R. § 25.250(b).







Document Created: 2018-06-01 14:24:00
Document Modified: 2018-06-01 14:24:00

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