Attachment Exhibit A

This document pretains to SES-MOD-20150729-00477 for Modification on a Satellite Earth Station filing.

IBFS_SESMOD2015072900477_1097351

                                           Exhibit A
                                   Description of Application


                ViaSat, Inc. (“ViaSat”) seeks blanket authority to operate up to 100,000
electrically identical satellite mobile earth terminals (“METs”) to communicate with the
SkyTerra-1 satellite, utilizing L-Band frequencies at 1525-1559 MHz and 1626.5-1660.5, but
excluding the 1544-1545 MHz and 1645.5-1646.5 MHz bands, which are reserved for safety and
distress communications services. SkyTerra-1 is operated by LightSquared Subsidiary LLC
(“LightSquared”), and is authorized to use these bands to serve the United States. As discussed
below, these METs comply with all applicable Commission technical requirements.

       A.      The ViaSat FT2225 Mobile Earth Terminal

                ViaSat is a leading provider of innovative satellite broadband services, and a
leading manufacturer of innovative satellite communication products. The FT2225-represents
yet another example of such innovation, delivering dependable, IP-based communication
services to small form factor, remote platforms via satellite. The terminals may be fixed and
mounted on top of a pole or roof of a commercial building. The terminal may also be operated
on a mobile platform when it is used for fleet management or asset tracking. For example, in
these uses, the terminal may be mounted on a shipping container for transportation via truck,
train or ship. The terminal may also be mounted on farming equipment, such as a tractor.

               The FT2225 is a new satellite terminal developed for real-time position tracking,
managing remote assets and operations, and visibility into critical areas of the supply chain. The
remote terminals are typically sold to original equipment manufacturers (OEM) that install them
on end-user platforms.

               The ViaSat FT2225 Terminal provides dependable, instant IP-based machine-to-
machine (M2M) communications via satellite. This terminal’s secure, two-way networking
capability enables both real-time data collection, and monitoring and control for time-critical
SCADA applications such as:

               •      Oil and gas mid-stream and down-stream monitoring and control

               •      Power grid neighborhood area networks

               •      Water treatment and distribution monitoring and control

               •      Slope monitoring

               •      Point-of-sales


               •        ATM kiosks

               •        National lottery

               •        Warning systems

Access to revenue-generating data is instant, and adjustment of field devices such as gas valves,
smart grid sensors, water pumps, and reservoir level indicators can be performed remotely.
ViaSat M2M technology enables reduction of operating costs by monitoring and controlling gas,
water, or power flow, optimizing purchase with demand-side management, and avoiding peak
flow conditions to minimize costs.

                Compliance with Out-of-Band and Spurious Emissions Lists

                The level of out-of-band and spurious emissions from all METs that are the
subject of this application will conform to the requirements of Sections 25.202(f) and 25.216 of
the Commission’s rules.1

       B.      Compliance with Section 25.287(a)

               The METs covered by this application address the Commission’s requirements for
ensuring the priority and real-time preemption requirements necessary to protect the GMDSS in
the following manner:2

               1.       47 C.F.R. § 25.287(a)(1): All MES transmissions must have a priority
                        assigned to them that preserves the priority and pre-emptive access given
                        to maritime distress and safety communications sharing the band.

            Transmissions to authorized METs are classified as having no priority relative to
GMDSS communications. This classification is controlled by ViaSat’s Network Operation
Center (“NOC”), which is located in Carlsbad, California.




1
       See 47 C.F.R. §§25.202(f), 25.216. Because this application seeks authority to operate mobile earth
       stations in the mobile satellite service (“MSS”), questions E15 and E16 in Schedule B of the Form 312,
       which pertain to FSS terminal compliance with Sections 25.209(a) and (b), are inapplicable.
2
       See 47 C.F.R. §2.106, n. US315; 47 C.F.R. §25.287(a).
                                                       2


              2.      47 C.F.R. § 25.287(a)(2): Each MES with a requirement to handle
                      maritime distress and safety data communications must be capable of
                      either: (i) recognizing messages and call priority identification when
                      transmitted from its associated Land Earth Station (LES); or (ii) accepting
                      message and call priority identification embedded in the message or call
                      when transmitted from its associated LES and passing the identification to
                      shipboard data message processing equipment.

              This requirement does not apply to the proposed mobile METs.

              3.      47 C.F.R. § 25.287(a)(3): Each MES shall be assigned a unique terminal
                      identification number that will be transmitted upon any attempt to gain
                      access to a system.

               Each MET will be assigned a unique fixed terminal identifier (FTI) at the time the
terminal is manufactured. This unique identifier is transmitted by the transceiver upon every
entry to the ArcLight network and is required to gain access to the network. ViaSat’s NOC will
maintain an authorization database for all subscriber METs, and will grant or deny access
accordingly.

              4.      47 C.F.R. § 25.287(a)(4): After an MES has gained access to a system, the
                      mobile terminal must be under control of a LES and shall obtain all
                      channel assignments from it.

             Any MET that has gained access to the network will be subject to the control of
ViaSat’s NOC. Each MET will receive and act upon commands issued to it by the NOC. The
NOC assigns all channel frequencies, including those to be used for signalling-only purposes.

              5.      47 C.F.R. § 25.287(a)(5): All MESs that do not continuously monitor a
                      separate signaling channel or signaling within the communications
                      channel must monitor the signaling channel at the end of each
                      transmission.

              The FT2225 is a full-duplex MET and continuously monitors the signalling
channel from the NOC.

              6.      47 C.F.R. § 25.287(a)(6): Each MES must automatically inhibit its
                      transmissions if it is not correctly receiving separate signaling channel or
                      signaling within the communications channel from its associated LES.

               MET transmissions will be inhibited unless the MET is correctly receiving either
a signalling channel or the correct communications channel according to specified criteria. More
                                                3


specifically, if the FT2225 cannot correctly receive the forward link from the NOC, the
transceiver automatically terminates transmissions.

               7.      47 C.F.R. § 25.287(a)(7): Each MES must automatically inhibit its
                       transmissions on any or all channels upon receiving a channel shut-off
                       command on a signaling or communications channel it is receiving from
                       its associated LES.

               In the event that preemption is required, the NOC can shut down transmissions of
all FT2225 terminals by disabling the forward link. As noted above, if the FT2225 cannot
correctly receive the forward link from the NOC, the transceiver automatically terminates
transmissions. In addition, the NOC can also inhibit transmission on any specific terminal or all
terminals via an over the air command message.

               8.      47 C.F.R. § 25.287(a)(8): Each MES with a requirement to handle
                       maritime distress and safety communications must have the capability
                       within the station to automatically pre-empt lower precedence traffic.

               This requirement does not apply to the proposed terrestrial mobile METs.

       C.      Compliance with AMS(R)S Pre-emption Requirements

               The METs covered by this application address the Commission’s requirements for
ensuring the priority and real-time pre-emption requirements necessary to protect AMS(R)
Service3 as discussed below:

               1.      All MES transmissions shall have a priority assigned to them that
                       preserves the priority and preemptive access given to distress and safety
                       communications sharing the band.

              Transmissions to authorized METs are classified as having no priority relative to
AMS(R)S communications. This classification is controlled by ViaSat’s NOC. In addition,
LightSquared, like all other MSS operators, protects AMS(R) Service transmissions in the band
by a frequency planning and management process.

               2.      Each MES with a requirement to handle distress and safety
                       communications shall be capable of recognizing messages and call
                       priority identification when transmitted from its associated LES.


3
       See 47 C.F.R. §2.106 n. US308; In re Application of AMSC Subsidiary Corporation, 10 FCC Rcd 9507,
       9511 (IB 1995).
                                                    4


               This requirement does not apply to the proposed terrestrial mobile METs.

               3.      Each MES shall be assigned a unique terminal identification number that
                       will be transmitted upon any attempt to gain access to the system.

                 Each MET will be assigned a unique fixed terminal identifier (FTI). This unique
identifier is transmitted by the transceiver upon every entry to the network and is required to gain
access to the network. ViaSat’s NOC will maintain an authorization database for all subscriber
METs, and will grant or deny access accordingly.

               4.      After an MES has gained access to a system, the mobile terminal shall be
                       under control of a LES and shall obtain all channel assignments from it.

             Any MET that has gained access to the network will be subject to the control of
ViaSat’s NOC. Each MET will receive and act upon commands issued to it by the NOC. The
NOC assigns all channel frequencies, including those to be used for signalling-only purposes.

               5.      All MESs that do not continuously monitor a separate signaling channel
                       shall have provision for signaling within the communications channel.

              The FT2225 is a full-duplex MET and continuously monitors the signaling
channel from the NOC.

               6.      Each MES shall automatically inhibit its transmissions if it is not correctly
                       receiving a separate signaling channel or signaling within the
                       communications channel from its associated LES.

                 MET transmissions will be inhibited unless the MET is correctly receiving either
a signaling channel or the correct communications channel according to specified criteria. More
specifically, if the FT2225 cannot correctly receive the forward link from the NOC, the
transceiver automatically terminates transmissions.

               7.      Each MES shall automatically inhibit its transmissions on any or all
                       channels upon receiving a channel shut-off command on a signaling or
                       communications channel it is receiving from its associated LES.

               In the event that preemption is required, the NOC can shut down transmissions of
all FT2225 terminals by disabling the forward link. As noted above, if the FT2225 cannot
correctly receive the forward link from the NOC, the transceiver automatically terminates
transmissions. In addition, the NOC can also inhibit transmission on any specific terminal or all
terminals via an over the air command message.


                                                 5


               8.     Each MES with a requirement to handle distress and safety
                      communications shall have the capability within the station to
                      automatically preempt lower precedence traffic.

               This requirement does not apply to the proposed terrestrial mobile METs.

       D.      Radiation Hazard Study

              A radiation hazard analysis for the proposed MET type is attached hereto as
Exhibit B. As demonstrated by the results of the analysis, the maximum permissible exposure
limit (MPE) for protection of the General Population/Uncontrolled Exposures, 1 mW/cm2
averaged over a thirty minute period, is met.4

       E.      Remote Control Point

               ViaSat will remotely control the FT2225 from the NOC facilities located in
Carlsbad, California. The control facilities can be reached by telephone at (760) 602-5656 or
(866) 659-9702, or by email at NOC-Carlsbad@viasat.com.

       F.      Public Interest Showing

                As noted above, the FT2225 relies on efficient bandwidth allocation, low-latency
IP networking, and low required satellite power to enable real-time mobile communications
more affordably than ever. This proven technology, based on ViaSat Arclight technology will
bring significant benefits to commercial customers in the U.S. that currently are limited in their
ability to run applications in SCADA and M2M real-time. In doing so, the FT2225 will facilitate
more robust and efficient operations, including by critical infrastructure providers. More
generally, the FT2225 will increase spectral efficiency in the L Band and reduce operating costs,
allowing commercial customers to leverage M2M capabilities more fully. For these reasons,
grant of this application is in the public interest.

                                             *****

               For the foregoing reasons, ViaSat respectfully requests that this application be
granted.




4
       The FT2225 is not a “portable device,” in that it is not designed to be used within 20
       centimeters of the operator’s body. As such, the equipment authorization requirements
       set forth in Section 25.129 of the Commission’s rules are inapplicable. See 47 C.F.R. §
       25.129.
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Document Created: 2015-07-29 07:02:13
Document Modified: 2015-07-29 07:02:13

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