MCLEAN, Va.—Intelsat has announced a new content distribution system that will use the internet to transport quality video content around the globe. 

IntelsatOne IP is designed as a global interconnected network powered by a software platform eliminating the need for hardware which makes for faster deployment, the company said. 

The IntelsatOne IP service also builds on Intelsat’s decades of satellite and terrestrial experience to deliver reliability, customer service, global reach, content backup capabilities and scalability, the company said. 

“IntelsatOne IP increases the reach and flexibility of the Intelsat Global Media Network and complements our existing global satellite and fiber footprint,” said Pascale Fromont, vice president of Media at Intelsat. “IntelsatOne IP offers more connectivity options to broadcasters of all sizes looking for more affordable and reliable ways to transport content as well as for those seeking new ways to increase viewership.”

Using Intelsat’s hybrid terrestrial and satellite infrastructure broadcasters are able to access the full Intelsat Global Media Network, bringing connectivity that traditional IP providers are unable to provide.

The IntelsatOne IP product is available now for customers to begin testing use cases and is scheduled by become commercially available as an operational service at a later date, the company said. 

WASHINGTON—With the C-band auction just a little more than two months away, the FCC has announced it is giving eligible satellite operators in the C-band a one-month window to adapt their transition plans now that lump sum elections have been finalized.

Broadcast and cable operators currently residing in the lower portion of the 3.7-4.2 GHz band are relocating to the upper portion, as the FCC will hold an auction for 280 MHz (there will also be a 20 MHz guard band)  of the lower band with the goal of helping 5G development. As part of this process, eligible Fixed Satellite Service space station operators, incumbent FSS earth station operators and incumbent Fixed Service licensees are set to be reimbursed for their transition costs.

The earth stations had the option to choose between accepting a lump sum payment for their transition or providing the specific receipts of their costs. Satellite operators, on the other hand, had a choice of taking an accelerated relocation plan, which required them to submit a transition plan—which included the details of whether or not the earth stations they serve would take a lump sum payment—by Aug. 14. Initially, any changes to these plans could only be made with the approval of the FCC.

However, earth stations were not required to decide on whether or not they would accept a lump sum payment until a month after satellite operators’ transition plans were due. This made it so satellite operators could not be fully accurate with what the earth stations they serve would do.

“Therefore, now that incumbent earth station operators have made their lump-sum elections, we expect that eligible space station operators will need to modify their Transition Plans to remove the incumbent earth stations for which the space station operators are no longer responsible for transitioning as a result of the lump sum elections,” the FCC said in its public notice. The commission also said it will provide an updated list of incumbent earth stations that reflect corrections and other updates to the previous version.

As a result of these actions, the FCC is now allowing satellite operators to modify their Transition Plans from now until Oct. 28.

For more information, the full FCC Public Notice is available online. 

WASHINGTON—Cable operators are calling on the FCC to level the regulatory fee playing field and require satellite operators (DBS) to match their cable fees.

This comes from the latest batch of comments from ACA Connects and NCTA—The Internet & Television Association in response to comments filed by AT&T and Dish opposing the FCC’s proposal to increase their Fiscal Year 2020 DBS regulatory fee by 12 cents per subscriber.

With this particular proposal, ACA and NCTA make the case that DBS providers’ arguments against any raise for this fiscal year are “predictable and remain meritless,” saying the FCC “must again repudiate them.”

In the past, satellite operators’ reg fees were based on per license rather than per sub. However, the FCC decided a half-decade ago that it would begin charging DBS on a per sub basis and raise their fees annually so as to put them on a path toward parity with cable. Cable operators, however, would rather see fees raised to equal levels immediately.

“[T]he commission should assess all MVPDs, including DBS providers, the same regulatory fee to fund the Media Bureau’s activities in FY 2020 and onward,” the comments read. The cable ops argue that there is no reason for the delay other than that the FCC initially adopted the phase-in approach.

To read the full comments from ACA and NCTA, visit the FCC’s ECFS. 

WASHINGTON—All plans for the C-band auction will remain on schedule for now, as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit denied a motion to stay the auction by a group of satellite operators.

The motion was officially filed under PSSI Global Services LLC, but was also supported by ABS Global Ltd., Empresa Argentina de Soluciones Satelitas S.A.,Hispamar Satélites S.A and Hispasat S.A. They argued that the FCC initiated a chain of events—starting with the election by space station operators to relocate from the C-band on an accelerated schedules—that would harm them by “benefitting competing space station operators that are eligible for relocation and accelerated relocation payments and depriving them of spectrum access rights without compensation.” In addition, they said the FCC did not have the authority to modify their spectrum rights, gave out to much money in accelerated payments and arbitrarily excluded them from getting those payments.

The court ruled that the “[a]pellants have not satisfied the stringent requirements for a stay pending appeal.” This means that the C-band auction will currently continue as planned until the court hears the challenge on its merits and gives a judgement at that time. The court has asked both parties to submit a briefing by June 29.

“Today’s ruling is great news for American consumers and U.S. leadership in 5G,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “I am very pleased that the D.C. Circuit rejected this attempt by small satellite operators with no U.S. operations in the C-band to delay our efforts to repurpose critical mid-band spectrum. The FCC will continue to defend our order on merits, and I look forward to our C-band auction beginning on Dec. 8.”

The FCC had denied a similar petition to delay the start of the auction by the same group of international satellite operators two weeks ago, according to TVT’s sister publication Multichannel News.

The C-band auction will see the transition of current C-band operators move from the top portion of the spectrum as the FCC frees up 280 MHz for 5G. More information is available on TVT’s C-band hub page.

WASHINGTON—The FCC had good news for satellite operators and bad news for cable operators on Friday, June 12, granting an extension for satellite operators to file their C-band transition plans while subsequently denying a request for an extension on submitting comments on the estimated lump sum payments by cable operators.

All eligible satellite space stations operating in the C-band were given an extra seven days to file their transition plans. The original deadline was for June 12, but will now be June 19. Eutelsat and Claro S.A. had originally requested the extension; the other satellite operators opposed it, but said if an extension was granted to those companies it should apply to all.

The FCC said that an extension for the satellite operators “serves the public interest and will not delay the transition process.”

Earlier this week, ACA Connects and NCTA—The Internet & Television Association filed a joint request to the commission asking for their own six-day extension for filing comments on the lump sum payments for current C-band operators, pushing the deadline from June 16 to June 22. They specifically cited the desire to be able to review the satellite C-band transition plans that were to be due on June 12. They also asked that the transition plans be made available immediately on the FCC website and the methodology for which the FCC reached its initial lump sum payment estimates.

However, the FCC has denied the joint request, saying that the cited reasons for an extension do not meet the standards for them to consider an extension. The commission says cable operators have the ability to make their lump sum elections after satellite operators’ transition plans have been made available. As to the other two arguments, the FCC says that all filed transition plans will be available through the ECFS as is their traditional practice and that the methodology for the lump sum estimates were laid out in the Lump Sum Public Notice and Preliminary Cost Catalog.

As a result, the lump sum payment comments will be due on June 16.

WASHINGTON—FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has announced that the opening of C-band spectrum for 5G services will go ahead on an accelerated timeline, having received commitments from all eligible satellite operators to meet the necessary deadlines.

When the FCC announced the C-band transition plan in February that require existing satellite to operators repack their operations in the C-band’s upper 200 MHz—leaving 280 MHz for flexible use and a 20 MHz guard band—it provided five eligible space station operators serving the U.S. the opportunity to clear the lower 300 MHz on an accelerated timeline in exchange for accelerated relocation payments.

In a public notice, the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau has said that the five operators—Eutelsat, Intelsat, SES, Star One and Telesat—have committed to the plan and that they have met the 80% threshold for clearing commitments, officially triggering the accelerated timeline.

Under the new timeline, the operators must clear 120 MHz of spectrum in 46 Partial Economic Areas by Dec. 5, 2021. The second phase will require them to clear the lower 120 MHz in the remaining PEAs, plus an additional 180 MHz nationwide, by Dec. 5, 2023. If these deadlines are met, the operators will be eligible to receive $9.7 billion in accelerated relocation payments plus reasonable relocation costs, which will be paid for by the new flexible use licensees. The original timeline would have required the operators to clear the lower 300 MHz by Dec. 5, 2025.

“This is a big day for American leadership in 5G and for American consumers and businesses,” said Pai. “The acceptance of accelerated relocation by all eligible satellite operators vindicates the FCC’s approach for making C-band spectrum available for 5G more quickly. Our initiative will enable this critical mid-band spectrum to be used for new and innovative wireless services that will be delivered to American consumers years ahead of schedule. The FCC’s work on the C-band is an important part of its 5G FAST plan, a comprehensive strategy to promote American leadership in 5G. This is a national priority because it means millions of jobs, billions of dollars in investment, innovation on our shores and stronger economic growth. I’m grateful to my fellow Commissioners, the agency’s excellent staff and external stakeholders for helping us reach this major milestone.”

The C-band auction is currently scheduled to take place on Dec. 8, 2020.

WASHINGTON—Cable and satellite operators won’t be required to lick any more stamps when it comes to sending out certain required notices to TV stations, as the FCC has unanimously voted to allow MVPDs to send notices as emails rather than as traditional paper notifications.

Under previous rules, cable and satellite TV providers had to submit paper notifications to local TV stations before taking certain actions, like launching in a new market, deleting or repositioning a station in the channel lineup or retransmitting certain stations. With the new rules, these notifications can be sent out via email.

Stations that have an online public inspection file will receive the electronic notifications in the inbox used for communications related to the election of must carry/retransmission consent status. Stations without a public file will receive notifications via their general inbox.

This result is said to be part of the FCC’s Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative led by Chairman Ajit Pai, which seeks to eliminate or modify media regulations that are “outdated, unnecessary or unduly burdensome,” per the commission. It was first proposed in July 2019.

Chairman Pai and all of the FCC commissioners (Michael O’Rielly, Jessica Rosenworcel, Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks) all voted for the update.