From FCC Report SAT-00871, Actions Taken:
• The FCC International Bureau denied a request from DISH Operating LLC to suspend operations on DBS channels 1-32 at 148 degrees West Longitude (WL). Order DA 12-859 states, “Allowing Dish to continue to suspend operations at a location that it has left vacant for over two years--and for which it still has no committed plans--would allow Dish to warehouse scarce orbit and spectrum resources, contrary to Commission policy. Consequently, we will make DBS channels 1-32 at the 148° W.L. orbital location available for reassignment when the Commission lifts the freeze for filing new DBS applications.”
• The FCC International Bureau's Satellite Division granted a petition filed by New Skies Satellite B.V. to modify the Permitted Space Station List entry for NSS-7 to reflect its move from 22 degrees WL to 20 degrees WL, and to reflect operations in the 3700-4200 MHz and 11.95-12.2 GHz bands (space-to-Earth) and 5925-6425 MHz (Earth-to-space). The FCC also granted Intelsat authority to operate NSS-7 at 20 degrees WL, and to provide fixed satellite service in the 10.95-11.2 GHz, 11.45-11.95 GHz, and 12.5-12.75 GHz bands (space-to-Earth) and 14.0-14.5 GHz band (Earth-to-space).
• On May 25 the Satellite Division granted Intelsat License LLC authority to construct, launch and operate Intelsat 19 at 166.0 degrees east longitude (EL) using 5925-6425 MHz and 14-14.5 GHz (Earth-to-space) and 3700-4200 MHz and 12.25-12.75 GHz (space-to-Earth) with telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) operations on specified Ku-band frequencies. (See the article elsewhere in this week's RF Report for information on problems with Intelsat 19 after launch.) Intelsat also received special temporary authority (STA) for 30 days to use specified Ku-band TT&C frequencies to provide TT&C during the launch and early orbit phase operations of Intelsat 19. The STA allows in-orbit testing at 176 degrees EL using the same frequencies listed above.
• EchoStar Satellite Operating Corp. was granted STA to continue to conduct the TT&C operations necessary to drift EchoStar 3 from 61.45 degrees WL to 61.8 degrees WL and to maintain it at 61.8 degrees WL using frequencies centered on 12201 MHz, 12203 MHz, and 12699 MHz (space-to-Earth) and on 17301.5 MHz (Earth-to-space) for these operations.
