Space operators see themselves facing emerging policy hurdles around the globe that could impede satellite spectrum sharing and satellite mesh networks. At the SmallSat Symposium in Silicon Valley Thursday, there also was discussion about the growing challenges of an increasingly noisy and crowded low earth orbit (LEO) environment and talk of the need for a global approach to space sustainability.
Matt Daneman
Matt Daneman, Senior Editor, covers pay TV, cable broadband, satellite, and video issues and the Federal Communications Commission for Communications Daily. He joined Warren Communications in 2015 after more than 15 years at the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, where he covered business among other issues. He also was a correspondent for USA Today. You can follow Daneman on Twitter: @mdaneman
Don't expect supplemental coverage from space to ever provide terrestrial broadband-like service -- there's not a strong business case, multiple operators said Wednesday at the SmallSat Symposium in Silicon Valley. Several questioned the economics of a robust SCS service with a thick data pipeline.
Satellite operators continue having diverse views on using shot clocks to hasten earth station and satellite application reviews, according to docket 22-411 reply comments this week. In September, commissioners on a 4-0 vote adopted a Further NPRM on streamlining satellite and earth station applications (see 2309210055). There was a lack of consensus about shot clocks in initial comments last month (see 2401090051).
Expect continuing friction at the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference and the WRC-31 between geostationary and non-geostationary orbit satellite operators over interference protections, River Advisors CEO Katherine Gizinski said. She and other panelists Tuesday at the SmallSat Symposium in Silicon Valley said those equivalent power flux density (EPFD) protection items were a hot-button issue at WRC-23. The FCC has seen constellation operators post-WRC-27 joust over EPFD limits (see 2401300032). Several panelists also discussed the changing availability of financing that helped launch numerous space startups in the past nine years.
MVPDs and their allies opposed the FCC's proposed crackdown on video service fees, though backers, ranging from states and localities to broadcasters, cheered. Comments were filed this week in docket 23-405. During its December meeting, a 3-2 commission vote approved the video service fees NPRM, which proposes banning early-termination fees (ETF) and requires prorated refunds when service is canceled (see 2312130019).
Fixed wireless competition is proving more tenacious than expected for Charter Communications. In a call with analysts Friday as it announced its Q4 2023 results, Charter CEO Chris Winfrey said fiber overbuilds also remain a competitive challenge. Charter stock closed at $319.21, down 16.5%, as the company announced it lost 61,000 residential broadband subscribers in the quarter.
As live sports content continues what many see as an inexorable move to streaming, traditional pay TV is left in an increasingly tighter spot and the future of such deals is in limbo, media and sports industry experts tell us. The future of sports league and team deals with broadcasters is seen as more stable. House Communications Subcommittee members at a Wednesday hearing repeatedly highlighted sports programming's move from traditional pay TV to streaming services, at times expressing frustration with rising prices and fragmented access to games. Testimony from DirecTV Chief Content Officer Rob Thun and other witnesses reflected earlier written statements that agreed the sports marketplace is in a state of flux (see 2401300078).
Emergency alerts would go more multilingual under a proposal on the FCC's February agenda. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel teed up that and other agenda items on Wednesday. They will be released Thursday. Also on the agenda is a draft in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM) licensing framework, further robocalls rules, and a revisiting of wireless mics. In addition, an Enforcement Bureau item and a Media Bureau adjudicatory matter are on the agenda.
Telecom and media companies support the intentions behind FCC and FTC “junk fees” regulatory actions, but implementation raises questions and potential compliance headaches, industry representatives said. At an FCBA event Monday, Brownstein Hyatt financial services lawyer Leah Dempsey said many industries see the White House and regulatory agency focus on junk fees as "kind of a campaign issue." She said President Joe Biden will likely be "touting the war on junk fees" at his next State of the Union address. Dempsey also said there are concerns that agencies are coming to predetermined outcomes on fees.
Cable operators not providing 100/20 Mbps speeds and fixed wireless access operators will be among the broadband equity, access and deployment program's biggest beneficiaries, speakers said during a Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers/Light Reading webinar Thursday. In addition, installers and equipment providers can anticipate "a very busy [next] four years," Morgan Lewis communications lawyer Andrew Lipman said.