Page 41 - SAMENA Trends - February 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Eutelsat and SES Make Their Own Cases for More C-Band Money

SES is now arguing that it deserves as FCC’s plan, unveiled Feb. 7, calls for giving “has no right to unilaterally disband the
much money as Intelsat to clear C-band the largest share of accelerated clearing [C-Band Alliance].” SES added that the
satellite spectrum for 5G cellular networks, payments to Intelsat. Its 50% share could FCC should not “take proposed payments
following Intelsat’s solo effort last week be worth up to $4.85 billion, if the spectrum from SES in order to placate disgruntled,
to increase its share of the FCC’s $9.7 is cleared by the FCC’s 2023 deadline. SES financially-troubled companies.” “SES
billion fund. Meanwhile, Eutelsat, a former would be eligible for a 41% share, or up to rejects the assertion by Intelsat that ‘there
partner of Intelsat, SES and Telesat in the $4 billion, with smaller players Eutelsat, will be no C-Band Alliance going forward’,”
now fractured C-Band Alliance, is seeking Telesat and Embratel Star One dividing a the company wrote. SES has nonetheless
around $1 billion more for itself. The FCC 9% share. Intelsat broke ranks last week started its own campaign for more money,
is scheduled to vote Feb. 28 on a plan with the C-Band Alliance it helped create, arguing that “undisputed facts conclusively
that includes $9.7 billion to accelerate telling the FCC Feb. 19 that it deserves show that Intelsat and SES deserve equal
spectrum clearing by September 2023 60-67% of the proposed $9.7 billion in shares of any accelerated relocation
instead of 2025 and that covers new accelerated clearing payments since it payments.” The two satellite operators will
satellites and other infrastructure needed needs to clear the largest share of North need to install roughly equal numbers of
to continue services with less spectrum. American C-band spectrum to make way new C-band dishes and signal filters for
The total amount for both is around $14.9 for 5G. Intelsat, in making its case for more customers affected by the spectrum loss,
billion, though the final tally could be higher. money, told the FCC to treat the C-Band SES said. Both companies will need to
The FCC cautioned that its $3.3 billion Alliance as defunct. SES, which publicly decommission six command and control
to $5.2 billion price tag for replacement rebuked both actions, told the FCC in a gateway sites, as well, according to SES.
infrastructure is just an estimate. The letter released late Feb. 20 that Intelsat

Entry into Commercial Service of EUTELSAT 7C

Eutelsat Communications’ EUTELSAT
7C satellite has entered full commercial
service and is ready to support broadcast
customers across Africa, Europe, the
Middle East and Turkey. Manufactured
by Maxar Technologies, EUTELSAT 7C is
a 3.4 ton high-power all-electric satellite
carrying 49 36-Mhz equivalent Ku-band
transponders. Successfully launched
from Kourou, French Guiana, on 20 June
2019, the satellite is co-located with
EUTELSAT 7B at 7° East, increasing
capacity at this dynamic neighborhood by
19 transponders. During the night of 27-28
January 2020, the Eutelsat teams migrated
a number of services from EUTELSAT 7A
to EUTELSAT 7C, including Turkish Pay-
TV platform Digiturk, Turkish national
broadcaster TRT, and Globecast UK for
coverage across Europe and the Middle
East. EUTELSAT 7A will be transferred
to another orbital location as part of
Eutelsat’s fleet optimization strategy.

41 FEBRUARY 2020