Attachment Response

Response

REPLY submitted by Mobile Satellite Ventures Subsidiary LLC

Response

2006-12-08

This document pretains to SES-STA-20061109-01985 for Special Temporal Authority on a Satellite Earth Station filing.

IBFS_SESSTA2006110901985_538367

                                         Before the
                            Federal Communications Commission
                                    Washington , D.C. 20554

In the matter of




                                      No/ Ne Nes Nes Ne Nuuet Nee Nce Seuae! Nuuer! Ned Nuver! Nur! Nusr! Nuwe! New! Suar! Suut! Ne Nus!
SkyWave Mobile Communications,                                                                                                             File No . SES—STA—20061109—01979 (Call Sign £O30055)
Inc.

Stratos Communications, Inc.                                                                                                               File No . SES—STA—20061109—01985 (Call Sign E0O10047)
                                                                                                                                           File No. SES—STA—20061109—01986 (Call Sign EO10048)
                                                                                                                                           File No. SES—STA—20061109—01984 (Call Sign EO0O0180)
                                                                                                                                           File No. SES—STA—20061109—01987 (Call Sign EO10049)
                                                                                                                                           File No. SES—STA—20061109—01988 (Call Sign EO10050)

Satamatics, Inc.                                                                                                                           File No. SES—STA—20061109—01980 (Call Sign EO20074)

Telenor Satellite Inc.                                                                                                                     File No.   SES—STA—20061027—01896   (Call   Sign EO00280)
                                                                                                                                           File No.   SES—STA—20061027—01887   (Call   Sign EO0O0282)
                                                                                                                                           File No.   SES—STA—20061027—01902   (Call   Sign EOO0O0285)
                                                                                                                                           File No.   SES—STA—20061027—01903   (Call   Sign EO00284)
                                                                                                                                           File No.   SES—STA—20061027—01900   (Call   Sign EO0O0283)
                                                                                                                                           File No.   SES—STA—20061027—01901   (Call   Sign WB36)
                                                                                                                                           File No.   SES—STA—20061027—01899   (Call   Sign KA313)



         RESPONSE OF MOBILE SATELLITE VENTURES SUBSIDIARY LLC

        Mobile Satellite Ventures Subsidiary LLC ("MSV") hereby files this Response to the

Joint Reply of SkyWave Mobile Communications, Inc. ("SkyWave"), Stratos Communications,

Inc. ("Stratos"), Satamatics, Inc. ("Satamatics"), Telenor Satellite Inc. ("Telenor"), and Inmarsat

Ventures Limited ("Inmarsat") to MSV‘s Comments on the above—captioned requests for a fifth

60—day renewal of existing grants of Special Temporary Authority ("STA") to operate earlier—

generation mobile earth terminals using the uncoordinated Inmarsat 4F2 satellite at 52.75° w.L.!‘


\ See Joint Reply of SkyWave Mobile Communications, Inc., Stratos Communications Inc.,
Satamatics, Inc., Telenor Satellite Inc., and Inmarsat Ventures Limited, File No. SES—STA—
20061109—01979 et al (November 28, 2006) ("Joint Reply"); see also Mobile Satellite Ventures
Subsidiary LLC, Comments, File No. SES—STA—20061109—01979 et al (November 13, 2006)
("MSVY Comments").


As MSV explained in its Comments, the Bureau should continue to apply the conditions imposed

on the original STA grants for earlier—generation services as well as (i) immediately require

Inmarsat to cease its use of the loaned frequencies and (i1) establish a firm expiration date for

these STAs without Inmarsat having completed coordination of the Inmarsat 4F2 satellite with

the United States.

       In the Joint Reply, Inmarsat and its distributors claim that use of the Inmarsat 4F2

satellite for earlier—generation services has not resulted in interference. Joint Reply at 2. In fact,

the opposite is true. Inmarsat and its distributors continue to refuse to relinquish the loaned

frequencies despite the harm that is being caused to MSV and its customers. MSY Comments at

2—4. This harm is occurring today by precluding MSV from using these frequencies to support

existing customers, including MSV‘s unique satellite—based push—to—talk ("PTT") service which

offers critical communications capabilities to first responders when terrestrial infrastructure is



> In the Joint Reply, Inmarsat and its distributors incorporate various pleadings by reference.
Joint Reply at 2—3. MSV hereby incorporates by reference the following pleadings. See Letter
from Ms. Jennifer A. Manner, MSV, to Ms. Marlene H. Dortch, FCC, File No. SES—MFS—
20051122—01614 et al. (July 18, 2006) (responding to the Opposition of Inmarsat and its
distributors to MSV s request that, to the extent the Commussion grants the pending applications
to operate with the uncoordinated Inmarsat 4F2 satellite despite the facts that (i) harmful
interference will likely occur, (i1) grant of the applications prior to a coordination agreement is
inconsistent with precedent, (i11) grant will condone Inmarsat‘s usurpation of spectrum
coordinated by the United States and Canada as well as Inmarsat‘s continued abdication of its
obligation to coordinate its satellites internationally, and (iv) grant would endorse the current
inefficient, non—contiguous assignment of L band frequencies, then the Commission should
attach certain conditions intended to mitigate some of this harm); Letter from Ms. Jennifer A.
Manner, MSV, to Ms. Marlene H. Dortch, FCC, Call Signs E010011 et al. (July 18, 2006)
(responding to the Opposition of Inmarsat and its distributors to MSV‘s request that the
Commission preclude Inmarsat from using frequencies licensed to and coordinated for MSV and
MSV Canada); Reply of MSV, File No. SES—MFS—20060118—00050 et al. (March 28, 2006)
(responding to Inmarsat‘s Opposition to MSV‘s Petition to Hold in Abeyance Telenor Satellite
Inc.‘s application to provide non—BGAN Inmarsat service over Inmarsat 4F2); Comments of
MSV, File No. SES—STA—20060710—01131 et al. (July 17, 2006); Response of MSV, File No.
SES—STA—20060710—01131 et al. (August 11, 2006); Comments of MSV, File No. SES—STA—
20060511—00788 et al. (May 15, 2006).


impaired. Id. at 2. As MSV noted in its Comments, public safety users have been particularly

harmed by Inmarsat‘s refusal to return the loaned frequencies. Id. at 2. For example, the

Commonwealth of Kentucky‘s Division of Emergency Management, an MSV user, has informed

the Commuission that there is a significant risk that Inmarsat‘s uncoordinated operations will

"interfere with our existing critical public safety operations" and that the loaned frequencies are

"required for MSV to develop new and innovative service for public safety users, including

additional services that further improve interoperable communications. * Inmarsat and its

distributors do not refute the impact their usurpation of L band frequencies is having on MSV

and MSV Canada and their customers. Moreover, as MSV explained previously, there is no

analytical, statistical, or other evidence in the record of this proceeding to support Inmarsat‘s

alleged need for the loaned frequencies.* As such, Inmarsat‘s refusal to return these frequencies

is causing harm to MSV and MSV Canada and their customers without any apparent benefit for

Inmarsat‘s users.

       In its Comments, MSV requested that the Bureau provide a clear expiration date for these

STAs unless Inmarsat has completed coordination of its new and relocated Inmarsat satellites,

including rebanding of L band spectrum into more contiguous frequency blocks, which will

reduce the potential for harmful interference and promote efficient use of spectrum. MSV

Comments at 4—6. In response, Inmarsat cites previous filings in which it claimed that rebanding

should be resolved during the L band coordination process. Joint Reply at 3. MSV agrees and

once again invites Inmarsat to engage in coordination discussions. Commission action to


* See Letter from Commonwealth of Kentucky‘s Division of Emergency Management to Ms.
Marlene H. Dortch, FCC, File No. SES—LFS—20050826—01175 et al (July 24, 2006); see also
Letter from Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council for Trauma to Ms. Marlene H. Dortch,
FCC, File No. SES—LFS—20050826—01175 et al (July 17, 2006).
* See MSY Comments at 4; Comments of MSV, File No. SES—STA—20060710—01131 et al. (July
17, 2006), at 3—4.


facilitate rebanding, however, will in no way trump the international coordination process.

Rather, such action will establish that the Commission expects L band operators to seek to

maximize the potential of the L band for offering broadband services, which Chairman Martin

recently explained is the Commission‘s top priority." If, however, the Bureau continues to grant

and renew STAs for use of Inmarsat‘s uncoordinated satellites and services without insisting that

it first complete coordination, there are no reasonable prospects that such coordination will ever

be successfully completed.

                                          Respectfully submitted,




 Bruce D. Jacobs   —                                   nifer A. Manner
 David S. Konczal                                   Vice President, Regulatory Affairs
 PILLSBURY WINTHROP                                 MOBILE SATELLITE VENTURES
        SHAW PITTMAN LLP                                    SUBSIDIARY LLC
 2300 N Street, NW                                  10802 Parkridge Boulevard
 Washington, DC 20037—1128                          Reston, Virginia 20191
 (202) 663—8000                                     (703) 390—2700

Dated: December 8, 2006




° See Remarks of FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin, Imagining the Digital Healthcare Future in the
Rural West, Montana State University — Bozeman (July 7, 2006) ("Since becoming Chairman
about 16 months ago, I have made broadband deployment the Commission‘s top priority. ..
Broadband technology is a key driver of economic growth. The ability to share increasing
amounts of information, at greater and greater speeds, increases productivity, facilitates interstate
commerce, and helps drive innovation. But perhaps most important, broadband has the potential
to affect almost every aspect of our lives.").


                               CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

       I, Sylvia A. Davis, a secretary with the law firm of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw
Pittman LLP, hereby certify that on this 8th day of December 2006, served a true copy of
the foregoing by first—class United States mail, postage prepaid, upon the following:


Diane J. Cornell                                 John P. Janka
Vice President, Government Affairs               Jeffrey A. Marks
Inmarsat, Inc.                                   Latham & Watkins LLP
1100 Wilson Blvd, Suite 1425                     555 Eleventh Street, N.W.
Arlington, VA 22209                              Suite 1000
                                                 Washington, DC 20004

Alfred M. Mamlet                                 Keith H. Fagan
Steptoe & Johnson LLP                            Telenor Satellite, Inc.
1330 Connecticut Avenue N.W.                     1101 Wootton Parkway
Washington, D.C. 20036                           10Floor
                                                 Rockville, MD 20852
Counsel for Stratos Communications, Inc.,
SkyWave Mobile Communications, Corp., and
Satamatics, Inc.

Ani Tourian                                      Brian Hester
SkyWave Mobile Communications, Corp.             Satamatics, Inc.
1145 Innovation Drive, Unit 288                  P.O. Box 393
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2K 3G8                  Buckeystown, MD 21717




                                                 odudlvin . /oz—
                                                    Sylvia A. Davis



Document Created: 2006-12-08 12:22:24
Document Modified: 2006-12-08 12:22:24

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