Attachment 2004Globalstar march

2004Globalstar march

LETTER submitted by Globalstar

Request to immediately grant Globalstar's Emergency Application For Review

2004-03-26

This document pretains to SAT-MOD-20020722-00108 for Modification on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATMOD2002072200108_1076494

                                                                                          ORIGINAL
crowellremoring                                                                       Mecolveg
                                    1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004—2595 =   p202 624—2500 = f202 628—5116




                                                                                    Man 3 ; /0;4


                                            March 26, 2004                     RECE‘V@

  Ms. Marlene H. Dortch                                                          MAR 2 6 2004
  Secretary       2.                     $il.                             EEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISBION
  Federal Communications Commission                                             OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
  445 Twelfth Street, SW
  Washington, DC 20554

        RE:    @G@lobalstar, L.P., Memorandum Opinion and Order, DA 08—328.

               File Nos: 183/184/185/186—8SAT—P/LA—97; 182—SAT—P/LA—97(64)

               IBFS Application File Numbers:
               SAT—LOA—19970926—00151—154
               SAT—LOA—19970926—00156
               SAT—AMD—20011103—0154
               SAT—MOD—20020717—00116—119
               SAT—MOD—20020717—00107—110
               SAT—MOD—20020722—00112

               Call Signs S2320/82321/828322/828283/82324

               Final Analysis Communication Services, Inc., Call Sign 2150
               Memorandum Opinion and Order, DA 04—727
               SAT—MOD—20020329—00245, SAT—AMD—2003060600112

  Dear Ms. Dortch:

         On January 29, 2003, the International Bureau adopted a Memorandum
  Opinion and Order, in which it denied a request by Globalstar, LP. ("Globalstar"),
  for modification of certain implementation milestones associated with its 2 GHz
  Mobile—Satellite Service ("MSS") system and canceled all Globalstar‘s 2 GHz MSS
  licenses.! Globalstar‘s Emergency Application for Review and Request for Stay of
  that decision are pending.




      1 G@lobalstar, L.P., DA 03—328, 18 FCC Red 1249 (Int‘l Bur. 2003) ("Globalstar
  Order").




              Crowell & Moring LLP = www.crowell.com « Washington @ Irvine «a London a Brussels


Ms. Marlene H. Dortch
March 26, 2004
Page 2 of 5


       The International Bureau recently cited the Globalstar Order as precedent
for a legal analysis that was not discussed in that decision. Accordingly, Globalstar
is submitting this letter to point out the significant distinctions between the
Globalstar circumstances and those described by the International Bureau in a
March 17, 2004 Memorandum Opinion and Order, DA 04—727 ("Final Analysis
Order"), canceling the non—voice, non—geostationary ("NVNG") satellite system
license of Final Analysis Communication Services, Inc. ("Final Analysis").

      Final Analysis requested an extension of its implementation milestones
based on delays associated, in part, with its corporate parent‘s federal bankruptcy
proceeding.2 In the Final Analysis Order, the Bureau decided that delay arising
from bankruptcy was not sufficient justification for granting an extension of Final
Analysis‘s milestones. Because Final Analysis had missed its March 2002 and
September 2002 milestones, the Bureau canceled the NVNG satellite license.
Curiously, the Bureau cited the Globalstar 2 GHz MSS decision as one case in
which "the Bureau has not been persuaded to extend a milestone deadline because
of a bankruptcy proceeding.""

      But, unlike Final Analysis, Globalstar did not seek an extension of milestones
because it was unable to achieve substantial progress on its 2 GHz MSS system
while the company was in bankruptcy.4 Nor did the Bureau explain its decision on
Globalstar‘s 2 GHz MSS licenses with the rationale that bankruptcy was not a
justification for failure to meet milestones.

      Based on several factors, Globalstar requested modifications of certain future
milestones for its 2 GHz MSS system at the same time that it entered into a non—


    2 See Final Analysis Order, © 19 ("Shortly before the March 2002 milestone
deadline, a petition for involuntary bankruptcy was filed against FAI, Final
Analysis‘s parent company. Final Analysis argues that this eleventh hour
occurrence prevented it from meeting its milestone deadlines.")
    3 Final Analysis Order, © 20 ("The International Bureau, under delegated
authority, has similarly grappled with various issues arising from the bankruptcy
filings of a number of satellite licensees and the relevance of bankruptcy on a
licensee‘s obligations to meet milestone deadlines. In each case, the Bureau has not
been persuaded to extend a milestone deadline because of a bankruptcy
proceeding.") The discussion of the Globalstar Order follows in Paragraph 21.
    4 See Globalstar Order, § 7. Globalstar filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the
U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on
February 15, 2002.




              Crowell & Moring LLP @ www.crowell.com = Washington   Irvine a London a Brussels


Ms. Marlene H. Dortch
March 26, 2004
Page 3 of 5


contingent satellite construction contract as of July 17, 2002, to meet its first
milestone. The Bureau described Globalstar‘s reasons for the proposed changes to
the future milestones as a "reevaluation of its business plan and the financial
condition of the MSS market," which the Bureau deemed "business decisions"
within Globalstar‘s control. (Globalstar Order, © 8.) With that explanation, the
Bureau denied the milestone extension requests.

      In then canceling Globalstar‘s licenses, the Bureau relied on a previously—
unannounced policy that a satellite construction contract incorporating variations
from the space station authorization that are reflected in a simultaneously—filed
modification application cannot meet the satellite construction milestone if the
Commission denies the modification application. Accordingly, in Globalstar‘s case,
since the non—contingent satellite construction contract submitted by Globalstar in
compliance with its first implementation milestone reflected construction
milestones as proposed in Globalstar‘s modification applications on file, rather than
the milestones in GLP‘s original licensing order, the contract was deemed not to
meet the milestone for entering into a non—contingent construction contract within
one year of the date of licensing. (Globalstar Order, § 13.) Globalstar has explained
in detail how this decision violates administrative due process in a supplemental
letter filed on December 12, 2003.5

       In the Final Analysis Order (( 21 (footnotes omitted)), the Bureau describes
its decision regarding Globalstar thus:

              On February 15, 2002, Globalstar sought Chapter 11
              bankruptcey protection. On its July 17, 2002 milestone
               deadline, Globalstar filed a request for waiver and
               modification of its implementation milestones. Despite
              the fact that Globalstar‘s first milestone passed during its
              bankruptcy proceeding, the International Bureau found
              that the extension request did not present special
              circumstances justifying a waiver, and thus Globalstar
              did not meet its burden of demonstrating that it qualified
              for a milestone extension.



    5 Letter to Marlene H. Dortch, FCC Secretary, from William D. Wallace,
Counsel to Globalstar, L.P. (filed Dec. 12, 20083). The Commission recently
confirmed that it is obligated not to apply newly—announced policies retroactively.
See Complaints Against Various Broadcast Licensees Regarding Their Airing of the
"Golden Globe Awards" Program, FCC 04—43, © 15 (released Mar. 18, 2004).




              Crowell & Moring LLP a www.crowell.com a Washington a Irvine & London s Brussels


Ms. Marlene H. Dortch
March 26, 2004
Page 4 of 5


The Bureau casts the Globalstar Order as one decided in light of the bankruptcy
analysis in the Final Analysis Order, but, in fact, the impact of Globalstar‘s
bankruptcy on whether its extension requests should be granted or whether it had
met its July 17, 2002 milestone was not discussed in the Globalstar Order.$

      In addition to these significant differences in the rationales for the Globalstar
Order and the Final Analysis Order, there are several important differences in the
facts which dictate that Globalstar should retain its 2 GHz MSS licenses:

      First, Globalstar had not missed any milestones when the Bureau decided to
cancel its 2 GHz MSS licenses. Globalstar met the July 17, 2002, milestone by
entering into a non—contingent satellite construction contract with Space
Systems/Loral, Inc. In other cases, entering into a non—contingent construction
contract has been found to demonstrate intent to proceed with implementation of
the satellite system."

     Second, Globalstar did not seek a waiver or extension of the immediately
upcoming milestone. Final Analysis filed a request for extension of its March 31,
2002 milestone (which it was unable to meet) on March 29, 2002. On the other
hand, Globalstar had entered into a non—contingent satellite construction contract
as of the required date of July 17, 2002, and contemporaneously filed with the
Commission a request for extension of certain future milestones, the first of which
was three years after July 17, 2002.%8

      Third, Globalstar did not claim that its bankruptcy had forced it to halt
progress toward construction of its system. Despite being in bankruptcy, Globalstar



    6 As the Bureau notes (Final Analysis Order, © 21), in its Emergency
Application for Review of the Globalstar Order (at 11—12, filed Mar. 3, 2003),
Globalstar has argued that the Commission must consider its bankruptcy as one
factor in reviewing whether the cireumstances warrant a waiver of the milestone
requirement in its request for extension of future milestones. There is no question
that the Commission is obligated to consider all relevant factors in making its
decisions. See, e.g., Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Ass‘n v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.,
463 U.S. 29, 48 (1983).
    7 See GE American Communications, Inc., 16 FCC Red 11038, 11041—42 (Int‘l
Bur. 2001); GE American Communications, Inc., 7 FCC Red 5169, 5170 (CCB 1992).
    8 This procedure was sanctioned by the International Bureau in Teledesic LLC,
17 FCC Red 11263, 11265 (Int‘l Bur. 2002).




              Crowell & Moring LLP = www.crowell.com « Washington = Irvine a London & Brussels


Ms. Marlene H. Dortch
March 26, 2004
Page 5 of 5


intended to use the assigned frequencies in the time frame required by the 2 GHz
MSS license.©

       In summary, the International Bureau did not cancel Globalstar‘s 2 GHz
MSS licenses because the Bureau rejected the use of bankruptey as a justification
for delaying progress on construction of an authorized satellite system. Therefore,
squeezing the Globalstar Order into a line of Commission bankruptcy precedent
must fail. The Bureau‘s decision on Globalstar "must be measured by what [the
Bureau] did, not by what it might have done.""!"

      The Bureau‘s attempt to impose a post hoc rationalization on the Globalstar
Order demonstrates once again that the Bureau‘s decision canceling Globalstar‘s
licenses cannot be justified on the facts or the applicable precedent.

      Accordingly, we ask that you immediately grant Globalstar‘s Emergency
Application for Review and vacate the Bureau‘s decision canceling Globalstar‘s 2
GHz MSS licenses.

                                                 Respectfully submitted,

                                                 GLOBALSTAR, L.P.


Of Counsel:                                     LOcLL)dItG
William F. Adler                                 William D. Wallace                               Bz
Vice President, Legal and
       Regulatory Affairs
Globalstar, LP.
3200 Zanker Road
San Jose, CA 95134
(408) 933—4401




    9 See Globalstar, LP., "Request for Waiver and Modification of Implementation
Milestones for 2 GHz MSS System," at 13—14 (filed July 17, 2002).
    10 SEC v. Chenery, 318 U.S. 80, 98—94 (1943).


              Crowell & Moring LLP a www.crowell.com = Washington = Irvine a London «= Brussels


                           CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE


      I, William D. Wallace, hereby certify that I have on this 26th day of March

2004, caused to be served true and correct copies of the foregoing "Letter" upon the

following persons via hand delivery (marked with an asterisk (*)) or first—class

United States mail, postage prepaid:

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, S.W.
Washington, DC 20554                        Washington, D.C. 20554

The Honorable Michael Copps *               The Honorable Kevin Martin *
Commissioner                                Commissioner
Federal Communications Commission           Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.                       445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554                      Washington, D.C. 20554

The Honorable Jonathan S. Adelstein         Daniel Harrold *
Commissioner                                Office of General Counsel
Federal Communications Commission           Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.                       445 12th Street, S.W., Room 6—A665
Washington, D.C. 20554                      Washington, D.C. 20554

Donald Abelson *                            Thomas S. Tyez *
International Bureau                        International Bureau
Federal Communications Commission           Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W., Room 6—C750          445 12th Street, S.W., Room 6—A665
Washington, D.C. 20554                      Washington, D.C. 20554

Karl A. Kensinger *                         Howard Griboff *
International Bureau                        International Bureau
Federal Communications Commission           Federal Communications Commission
445 Twelfth Street, S.W., Room 6—A663       445 12th Street, S.W., Room 6—C467
Washington, D.C. 20554                      Washington, D.C. 20554


Roderick K. Porter *                John Rogovin *
International Bureau                Office of General Counsel
Federal Communications Commission   Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.               445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554              Washington, D.C. 20554

Bryan Tramont *                     Sheryl Wilkerson *
Office of Chairman Michael Powell   Office of Chairman Michael Powell
Federal Communications Commission   Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.               445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554              Washington, D.C. 20554

Jennifer Manner *                   Paul Margie *
Office of Commissioner Kathleen     Office of Commissioner Michael Copps
  Abernathy                         Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission   445 12th Street, S.W.
445 12th Street, S.W.               Washington, D.C. 20554
Washington, D.C. 20554

Barry Ohlson *                      Sam Feder *
Office of Commissioner Jonathan     Office of Commissioner Kevin Martin
  Adelstein       .                 Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission   445 12th Street, S.W.
445 12th Street, S.W.               Washington, D.C. 20554
Washington, D.C. 20554

Joseph A. Godles                    Tom W. Davidson
Goldberg, Godles, Wiener & Wright   Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, L.L.P.
1229 19th Street, N.W.              1676 International Drive
Washington, D.C. 20036              Penthouse
                                    McLean, VA 22102

L. Andrew Tollin                    Douglas I. Brandon
Kathryn A. Zachem                   AT&T Wireless Services, Inc.
Craig E. Gilmore                    1150 Connecticut Avenue, NW.
Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP        Washington, D.C. 20036
2300 N Street, NW., Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20037

John T. Sceott, III                 J.R. Carbonell
Cellco Partnership                  Carol L. Tacker
d/b/a Verizon Wireless              David G. Richards
1300 I Street, NW., Suite 400—W     Cingular Wireless LLC
Washington, D.C. 20005              5565 Glenridge Connector, Suite 1700
                                    Atlanta, GA 30342


Aileen A. Pisciotta
Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
1200 19th Street, N.W., Suite 500
Washington, D.C. 20036




                                    lcree.
                                    William D. Wallace



Document Created: 2015-01-30 15:07:05
Document Modified: 2015-01-30 15:07:05

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