I am not exactly sure what this means for VOOM, but I think this has to do with the two transponders that VOOM has temporary use of.
FCC Bureau Moves on 61.5-Degree DBS Issues
The International Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission moved on issues concerning DBS spectrum last week, restricting use of a portion of one orbital location used by a handful of companies.
At issue is two unassigned DBS channels at 61.5 degrees, an orbital location used by EchoStar and VOOM from Cablevision and Rainbow DBS. Also, Dominion uses an EchoStar satellite to deliver its services from the orbital location, and has a license for DBS capacity at the slot.
The bureau released an order Friday that would prohibit companies with DBS operations at orbital locations capable of providing DBS service to all 50 states from acquiring, owning or controlling two channels currently available for licensing at the 61.5-degreee orbital location for four years. The order also covers any subsidiaries and entities those companies with full-CONUS operations control, the order said. Also, the bureau order would prohibit those same companies from leasing the channels during the same period.
"Because these channels are the only remaining unassigned DBS channels in the 12 GHz DBS band that could provide service to the Eastern half of the continental United States, we conclude that such a restriction on eligibility to use them will serve the public interest by helping to promote the development of an additional provider of DBS services," the bureau said in its order.
The bureau said Rainbow DBS, the licensee of 11 channels at 61.5 degrees, supported adoption of the eligibility criteria, and apparently the Cablevision unit had proposed the idea to the commission. However, EchoStar, which also is the licensee of 11 channels at the orbital location, opposed adoption of eligibility restrictions for the license for the two available channels, the bureau said.
http://www.skyreport.com/?HDPictures.com
FCC Bureau Moves on 61.5-Degree DBS Issues
The International Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission moved on issues concerning DBS spectrum last week, restricting use of a portion of one orbital location used by a handful of companies.
At issue is two unassigned DBS channels at 61.5 degrees, an orbital location used by EchoStar and VOOM from Cablevision and Rainbow DBS. Also, Dominion uses an EchoStar satellite to deliver its services from the orbital location, and has a license for DBS capacity at the slot.
The bureau released an order Friday that would prohibit companies with DBS operations at orbital locations capable of providing DBS service to all 50 states from acquiring, owning or controlling two channels currently available for licensing at the 61.5-degreee orbital location for four years. The order also covers any subsidiaries and entities those companies with full-CONUS operations control, the order said. Also, the bureau order would prohibit those same companies from leasing the channels during the same period.
"Because these channels are the only remaining unassigned DBS channels in the 12 GHz DBS band that could provide service to the Eastern half of the continental United States, we conclude that such a restriction on eligibility to use them will serve the public interest by helping to promote the development of an additional provider of DBS services," the bureau said in its order.
The bureau said Rainbow DBS, the licensee of 11 channels at 61.5 degrees, supported adoption of the eligibility criteria, and apparently the Cablevision unit had proposed the idea to the commission. However, EchoStar, which also is the licensee of 11 channels at the orbital location, opposed adoption of eligibility restrictions for the license for the two available channels, the bureau said.
http://www.skyreport.com/?HDPictures.com