Different c-band reallocation plans each carry challenges, R Street says
Proposals for reallocating part of the C-band for terrestrial services carry different benefits and drawbacks, said R Street Institute Technology Policy Fellow Joe Kane Wednesday. He said one problem with the current system of C-band earth station registration is the complexity of the FCC form, and it should be streamlined or the agency should solicit satellite provider help in identifying earth station locations. Kane said the satellite industry consortium idea to negotiate for all satellite users of the band would mean lower transaction costs but would bring to market less spectrum at higher costs than in a more-competitive market. Going to a competitive market model isn’t viable due to inevitable technical and legal delays, he said: The satellite consortium model might need the FCC to stipulate that more spectrum than the 100 MHz Intelsat, Intel and Eutelsat have committed to be clear, such as 300 MHz. Auction of overlay licenses is problematic due to the full-band, full-arc characteristics of the band, while reforming the full-band, full-arc policy may be “untenable,” said the report
