FCC Revokes EchoStar Satelite
Internet
License (cont’d)
by Jim Wagner
EchoStar's DISH Network, the popular satellite TV service, operates
on the Ku-band and is not affected by the ruling. But the loss
of a Ka-band satelite Internet license would put an end to
EchoStar's hopes for satelite Internet broadband services.
The FCC would not comment on the cancellation, but said EchoStar
had 30 days to file a challenge, which would then be publicized
for a 10-day comment period from the public. The satelite
Internet company then has five days to respond to the comments
before the commission issues its final ruling.
Patick DeWitt, space systems president of Loral Inc., the company
assembling EchoStar's satellite, said the bird was always
intended to deliver a Ka-band payload.
"I can say unequivocally that the satellite, scheduled to launch
this year, has ample power and thermal resources to operate the
entire Ka-band payload, concurrent with the other payloads on
the satellite, for the more than 15-year design life," he said.
The company has a mixed record to date in regards to TV/
satelite Internet broadband.
Last week, EchoStar settled a dispute with StarBand Communications,
the company it was originally using to provide Ka-band satelite
Internet services. EchoStar agreed to pay the bankrupt two-way
satelite Internet service provider (ISP) $710,000 and give back
the service records of 16,000 customers.
StarBand was one of two investments in Ka-band satelite Internet
companies. EchoStar also has a 12 percent ownership stake in
WildBlue, a company formerly known as iSKY. In April, EchoStar
signed a strategic deal with SBC Communications to marry its
DISH TV with the
Bell's digital subscriber line (DSL) service to compete with
cable.
