FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE News Media Contact: August 2, 2001 David Fiske at (202) 418-0513 FCC INTERNATIONAL BUREAU AUTHORIZES SECOND-ROUND KA-BAND SATELLITE SYSTEMS New Broadband Service Options for Americans Washington, D.C. – Today, the International Bureau authorized a variety of new and established satellite operators to provide Ka-band service in the United States. These actions, which are part of the "Second Round" of Ka-band applications, authorize 11 companies to provide fixed-satellite service from geostationary satellite orbit (GSO) satellites at a total of 34 orbit locations. These systems have the potential to provide a wide variety of sophisticated telecommunications services, including broadband, interactive, direct-to-home and digital services to all parts of the country, from cities and suburbs to rural and isolated areas. "These advanced satellite systems will enhance competition among service providers in the marketplace and provide new service options to the American public," remarked Donald Abelson, Chief of the International Bureau. Today's space station authorizations include several new systems as well as the expansion of several previously licensed systems. Each of the GSO satellites will be authorized to operate in specific segments of spectrum in the Ka-band and assigned to specific orbital locations. The attached Fact Sheet provides detailed information. For further information, contact Fern Jarmulnek at (202) 418-0751 or Jennifer Gilsenan at (202) 418-0757 in the International Bureau. - FCC - FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL BUREAU FACT SHEET Second Round Ka-Band Assignments Geostationary-Orbit, Fixed-Satellite Service Systems in the Ka-Band Frequencies August 2, 2001 11 Second Round Authorizations Issued ? On August 2, 2001, the International Bureau issued separate orders authorizing 11 companies to operate satellites in geostationary-satellite orbit (GSO) in portions of the Ka-band frequency band. ? These companies are: CAI Data Systems, Inc. Lockheed Martin Corporation Celsat America, Inc. Loral Cyberstar, Inc. DirectCom Networks, Inc. Pacific Century Group, Inc. Hughes Communications, Inc., PanAmSat Corporation KaStarCom World Satellite, LLC Pegasus Development Corporation TRW, Inc. ? All companies, except for Celsat America, Inc. intend to use these satellites to provide Ka- band fixed-satellite services (FSS) to customers in the United States. Celsat will use the Ka- band for "feeder links" to support its 2 GHz mobile-satellite system licensed last month. ? Pacific Century Group, Inc. intends to operate satellites approved by the United Kingdom to serve the United States. Consequently, Pacific Century Group, Inc.'s authority to serve the United States is in the form of a "reservation of spectrum" for it to provide these services, rather than in the form of a license. ? The licenses awarded to Hughes Communications, Inc., Loral Cyberstar, Inc., and PanAmSat Corporation expand the number of satellites each is authorized to implement under previous Ka-band system licenses issued in 1997. ? The term "Ka-band" refers to space-to-Earth communications (downlink) in radio frequencies at 17.7-20.2 GHz, and the corresponding Earth-to-space communications (uplink) at 27.5- 30.0 GHz. Assignment Order ? The Bureau also issued a companion order assigning orbit locations to the newly authorized satellites. In the Order, the Bureau explained its framework in assigning each newly authorized satellite to a specific orbit location. A list of the orbital assignments is attached. ? Orbit locations deemed available for assignment were those locations not already assigned to U.S.-licensed Ka-band satellites and for which the Commission has initiated the international coordination process for the United States at the International Telecommunication Union. Modification Orders ? In addition, the Bureau issued separate orders denying modification applications filed by GE Americom and EchoStar Satellite Corporation to operate their previously licensed Ka-band satellite systems on additional spectrum. Spectrum Assignments ? The 11 licenses/reservation of spectrum authorize operations in all or some of the following frequency bands, consistent with the Ka-band plan adopted in 1996 and later refined for certain downlink operations: For uplink (Earth-to-space) transmissions: 250 megahertz of spectrum between 28.35 and 28.6 GHz, 250 megahertz of spectrum between 29.25 and 29.5 GHz (shared on a co-primary basis with non-geostationary satellite orbit, mobile-satellite service feeder links); and 500 megahertz of spectrum between 29.5 and 30.0 GHz. For downlink (space-to-Earth) communications: 500 megahertz of spectrum between 19.7 and 20.2 GHz; 280 megahertz of spectrum between 18.3 and 18.58 GHz (shared on a co-primary basis with terrestrial-fixed operations); and 220 megahertz of spectrum between 18.58 and 18.8 GHz. Chronology ? In May 1997, the International Bureau licensed 13 companies to launch and operate GSO FSS satellite systems as part of the first Ka-band processing round ("First Round"). ? In October 1997, the Bureau initiated a second processing round ("Second Round"), inviting interested parties to file applications or Letters of Intent on or before December 22, 1997 for consideration in this round. ? Eleven applicants filed applications for GSO FSS satellites, and one non-U.S. licensed satellite applicant filed a letter of intent. ATTACHMENT Ka-Band GSO Orbit Assignment Plan Orbit Location Licensee 175° W.L [Available] 147° W.L Loral Cyberstar, Inc. 139° W.L [Available] 133° W.L PanAmSat Corporation 131° W.L Hughes Communications, Inc. 129° W.L Lockheeed Martin Corporation 127° W.L DirectCom Networks, Inc. 125° W.L CAI Data Systems, Inc. 123° W.L DirectCom Networks, Inc. 121° W.L. Echostar Satellite Corporation (500 megahertz) Celsat America, Inc. (500 megahertz) 119° W.L. TRW, Inc. 117° W.L. Pegasus Development Corporation 115° W.L. CyberStar Licensee LLC 113° W.L. VisionStar, Inc. 111° W.L KaStarCom World Satellite, LLC 109.2° W.L. WB Holdings 1, LLC (500 megahertz) [500 megahertz available] 107° W.L. Pegasus Development Corporation 105° W.L. GE American Communications, Inc. 103° W.L. PanAmSat Corporation 101° W.L. Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. 99° W.L. Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. 97° W.L. Astrolink International LLC 95° W.L. NetSat 28 Company, LLC 93° W.L. CyberStar Licensee LLC 91° W.L. Motorola, Inc. 89° W.L. Loral Space & Communications Corporation 87° W.L. Motorola, Inc. 85° W.L. GE American Communications, Inc. 83° W.L. Echostar Satellite Corporation (500 megahertz) Celsat America, Inc. (500 megahertz) 81° W.L. Loral Space & Communications Corporation 79° W.L. TRW, Inc. 77° W.L. Motorola, Inc. 75° W.L. Motorola, Inc. 73° W.L. WB Holdings 1 LLC (500 megahertz) [500 megahertz available] 71° W.L. Pacific Century Group, Inc. 67° W.L. Loral CyberStar, Inc. 62° W.L. Pacific Century Group, Inc. 58° W.L. PanAmSat Corporation 51° W.L. Lockheed Martin Corporation 49° W.L. Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. 47° W.L. Loral Space & Communications Corporation 45° W.L. PanAmSat Corporation 43° W.L. Pegasus Development Corporation 26.2° W.L. Hughes Communications, Inc. 21.5° W.L. Astrolink International LLC 17° W.L. GE American Communications, Inc. 15° W.L. Loral CyberStar, Inc. 7.5° W.L. Hughes Communications, Inc. 2° E.L. Astrolink International LLC 15° E.L. TRW, Inc. 25° E.L. Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. 28° E.L. Pegasus Development Corporation 30° E.L. [Available] 36° E.L. PanAmSat Corporation 38° E.L. [Available] 40° E.L. PanAmSat Corporation 42° E.L. [Available] 46° E.L. [Available] 48° E.L. PanAmSat Corporation 50° E.L. [Available] 52° E.L. Lockheed Martin Corporation 54° E.L. Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. 56° E.L. GE American Communications, Inc. 64.5° E.L. [Available] 68.5° E.L. PanAmSat Corporation 70.5° E.L. [Available] 72.7° E.L. PanAmSat Corporation 78° E.L. Loral Space & Communications Corporation 89° E.L. [Available] 97° E.L. [Available] 99° E.L. Lockheed Martin Corporation 101° E.L. Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. 103° E.L. Hughes Communications, Inc. 105.5° E.L. CyberStar Licensee, LLC 107.5° E.L. Pegasus Development Corporation 111° E.L. Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. 114.5° E.L. GE American Communications, Inc. 116.5° E.L. TRW, Inc. 124.5° E.L. PanAmSat Corportion 126.5° E.L. Loral CyberStar, Inc. 130° E.L. Astrolink International LLC 139° E.L. [Available] 149° E.L. PanAmSat Corporation 151.5° E.L. Lockheed Martin Corporation 155° E.L. [Available] 160° E.L. [Available] 164° E.L. Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. 166° E.L. PanAmSat Corporation 169° E.L. [Available] 173° E.L. PanAmSat Corporation 175.25° E.L. Astrolink International LLC This lists all Ka-band GSO orbit location assignments. Applicants assigned orbit locations in the second processing round are indicated with bold-face type. News media Information 202 / 418-0500 TTY 202 / 418-2555 Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, S.W. Washington, D. C. 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).