Perry Hoffman
OTTAWA – Ciel Satellite Group and Telesat Canada could both end up being big winners in a recent satellite licensing process from Industry Canada. Last week, the department awarded the rights to one of two broadcast orbital slots up for grabs to Ciel, but left the door open to Telesat for the second slot if it’s interested.
Industry Canada awarded Ciel the 113 degrees west orbital slot and invited Telesat to ask for the 111.1 position – the other location available in the licensing process. But using the 111.1 slot will require some modifications to Telesat’s original plan, according to the department.
At the outset of the process, Industry Canada noted that it wasn’t going to license the two slots to two different operators because they were too close to each other on the geostationary arc. The department changed it mind, though, after Ciel proposed to use larger customer antennas, allowing Industry Canada to license the slots to two separate operators.
“As a result, Industry Canada is now of the view that where larger customer receiving antennas are used for both positions, both positions may be used by different operators with only minor constraints,” the department states in a letter to Telesat. Licensing the 111.1 position, added Industry Canada, “would be subject to a condition that the respective operators agree on compatible satellite network parameters in good faith with each other.”
The department has asked Telesat if it’s interested in the 111.1 location and has given the established satellite operator 30 days to respond. It’s unclear whether Telesat wants the 111.1 position as the company turned down a request for an interview, as did Ciel.
At the application stage, Ciel applied for the 113 orbital slot, while Telesat applied for both with the intention of using the 111.1 position. Telesat already uses that location to provide fixed and broadcast services.
