Intelsat Meets Important Deadline for Accelerated C-Band Exit

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A year after then-FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced the acceleration of the repurposing of C-band spectrum for 5G services, a satellite operator in the band has met a key metric toward leaving the band by December 5, according to Space News.

The publication obtained an internal memo from Intelsat that stated all C-band (3.7 GHz band) customers on the company’s satellites have been moved from the lower 120 megahertz. Filters will now be installed on ground antennas to eliminate interference between the satellites and the wireless communications users. 

The prize for leaving the C-band early is billions of dollars for satellite firms licensed for the spectrum. All five eligible satellite operators—Eutelsat, Intelsat, SES, Star One, and Telesat — elected for accelerated relocation, according to the FCC.  

In February of 2020, the FCC adopted rules for the C-band that will free up 280 megahertz of spectrum for 5G.

Specifically, the rules require existing satellite operators and their associated earth stations to repack their operations from the band’s entire 500 megahertz into the upper 200 megahertz, which makes room in the lower 280 megahertz for wireless use, plus a guard band.

In the same ruling, satellite operators in the band were given the opportunity to clear the lower 300 megahertz of the band on an accelerated time frame in exchange for bonus relocation payments.  

Specifically, these companies must first clear 120 megahertz of spectrum in 46 Partial Economic Areas by December 5, 2021. In a second phase, they must clear the lower 120 megahertz in the remaining PEAs, plus an additional 180 megahertz nationwide, by December 5, 2023, Inside Towers reported. 

If the companies leave the band by the deadline, they will be eligible for up to $9.7 billion in accelerated relocation payments plus reasonable relocation costs.

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