**Before the**

**Federal Communications Commission**

**Washington, D.C. 20554**

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| In the Matter of                 | *  | File No.                     |
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| **Iridium Constellation, LLC     | ** | SAT-STA-20030609-00100       |
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| **Iridium, US LP**               | *) |                              |
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| Request for Special Temporary    |    |                              |
| Authorization                    | *  |                              |
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**ORDER**

Adopted: June 12, 2003 Released: June 16, 2003

By the Deputy Chief, Satellite Division, International Bureau:

I.  **INTRODUCTION**

1\. In this Order, we grant the request of Iridium Constellation, LLC
and Iridium, US LP (collectively "Iridium") to operate its "Big LEO"
mobile-satellite service (MSS) system in the 1620.10-1621.35 MHz band
for a one-month period, through and including July 12, 2003. We find
that grant of this authorization furthers important public interest
requirements by supporting stated communications needs of U.S. forces in
Iraq and the Middle East region.

> **II. BACKGROUND**

2\. Iridium holds a license for a Big LEO MSS system that is authorized
to operate both uplink and downlink transmissions in the 1621.35-1626.5
MHz frequency band.[^1] It also holds a license for mobile user
terminals that operate in the same band.[^2] Another MSS system,
Globalstar, L.P., is licensed to operate uplinks in the 1610-1621.35 MHz
band. In April and May 2003, the International Bureau, Satellite
Division, granted Iridium special temporary authority (STA) to expand
its operations into the 1618.85-1621.35 MHz frequency band.[^3] The
Division granted the STA's after determining that it would allow Iridium
to support the communications needs of U.S. military forces in Iraq and
the Middle East region, and further, that there was no evidence that
Iridium operations in the band would degrade Globalstar's operations.

3\. Due to extraordinarily high levels of demand of its service in the
Middle East region, primarily from U.S Government and Coalition Forces,
Iridium requested an extension of its May 13, 2003 STA to June 12,
2003.[^4] The U.S. Department of Defense filed a letter supporting
Iridium's request, noting improved system performance since the
availability of additional spectrum and anticipating "continued heavy
usage of Iridium's satellite system ... for mobile time-sensitive
communications."[^5] Globalstar opposed an extension of the STA, stating
it has experienced degradation in service that it believes may be
attributable to Iridium's operations.[^6]

4\. On June 11, 2003, pursuant to Section 316(a) of the Communications
Act, the Division modified Iridium's space station and earth station
licenses to authorize use of the 1618.85-1621.35 MHz frequency bands
until June 12, 2003. [^7]

5\. On June 9, 2003, Iridium filed the instant request. Iridium
indicated that, while demand for service in the Middle East region
continues at extraordinarily high levels, demand has subsided somewhat.
Therefore, Iridium limited its request to authority to operate in the
1620.1-1621.35 MHz band, and indicated that it will cease operations in
the 1618.85-1621.1 MHz band.

In connection with this filing, the Defense Information Systems Agency
("DISA") provided the FCC with a copy of a letter sent to the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration in which it indicates
that U.S. military forces in Iraq and the surrounding region, as part of
their peace enforcement operations, are continuing to rely heavily on
the Iridium system for mobile time-sensitive communications. DISA notes
that prior temporary authorizations for the Iridium system to use
additional channels appear to be positively affecting system
performance, and that the Department of Defense is supportive of
extending Iridium's authorization for thirty days. DISA indicates that
the Department of Defense will continue to monitor Iridium system usage
by U.S. forces and other key government entities engaged in the
rebuilding of Iraq to determine whether currently heavy usage subsides
prior to the end of the thirty-day period. The National
Telecommunications and Information Administration, after consultation
with a number of Executive Branch agencies and departments, subsequently
informed the Commission that it would have no objection to granting
Iridium's request.

6\. In addition, Cornell University (Cornell), which operates the
Arecibo Observatory in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, filed comments stating that
it does not oppose the short term temporary expansion of Iridium's
authorized frequencies, provided its operations do not cause "prohibited
interference" to the Arecibo Observatory.[^8] Cornell also requests
advance notification and an opportunity to comment on future requests by
Iridium to use the additional frequencies.[^9] Cornell indicates that it
is still analyzing data to determine whether Iridium's temporary
operations have resulted in prohibited interference to its
operations.[^10]

7\. Globalstar opposes Iridium's request.[^11] Globalstar indicates that
the Globalstar system is experiencing harmful interference that appears
to arise from Iridium's use of frequencies overlapping Channels 8 and 9
of the Globalstar system. Globalstar indicates that it is experiencing
radio link failure for Globalstar calls in the 30 to 45% range.
Globalstar states that it needs a period of at least 48 hours when
Iridium is not transmitting in Globalstar channels 8 and 9 in order to
complete its analysis of the impact of Iridium transmissions in Channel
8 and 9. Globalstar also questions whether increased call traffic is in
fact the cause of Iridium's capacity shortfalls in the Middle East, and
argues that there are a number of other possible reasons for low call
completion rates. Globalstar also notes that its traffic data suggests a
substantial decrease in the last month in traffic in the Middle East
region.

**III. DISCUSSION**

8 Section 309(c)(2)(G) and of the Communications Act and Section
25.120(a) of the Commission's rules provide for the grant of special
temporary authority of the type Iridium has requested.[^12] In this
instance, Iridium's use of the 1620.10-1621.35 MHz band will allow
Iridium to provide critical support to U.S. Forces engaged in peace
enforcement operations in Iraq and the Middle East region. Furthermore,
we believe Iridium's request to scale back its use of frequencies below
1621.35 MHz is an appropriate response to lower traffic levels and to
concerns with possible interference from Iridium's operations raised by
Globalstar and Cornell.

9\. Because the continued need for additional frequencies, as well as
the possible interference, will be a matter that we expect the
interested parties to monitor closely during the 30 day Special
Temporary Authority, Iridium will be required to have in place the
capability to discontinue operations in the 1620.10-1621.35 MHz band
within no less than twenty four hours after notice from the Commission.
This grant of authority will be subject to such termination if such
monitoring indicates that this authorization is no longer necessary in
or consistent with the public interest.

**IV. CONCLUSION AND ORDERING CLAUSES**

10\. Based on the foregoing, we find that Iridium's request for a
temporary authorization for operations in the 1620.1-1621.35 MHz band
will serve the public interest by allowing Iridium to provide essential
communication services to support vital U.S. Government operations in
the Middle East region. This action is taken without prejudice to
Commission action in the ongoing rulemaking proceeding in IB Docket No.
02-364, Review of the Spectrum Sharing Plan Among Non-Geostationary
Satellite Orbit Mobile Satellite Service Systems in the 1.6/2.4 GHz
Bands.

11\. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, that the request of Iridium
Constellation, LLC to operate in the 1620.1-1621.35 MHz frequency band
until July 12, 2003, IS GRANTED.

12\. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that the Iridium satellite system shall
operate on co-equal status with the Globalstar satellite system in the
1620.1-1621.35 MHz band within the Middle East region.

13\. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that in areas outside of the Middle East
region, the Iridium satellite system must operate in the 1620.1-1621.35
MHz frequency band on a non-harmful interference basis with respect to
any other allocated radio service in that band.

14\. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that Iridium shall maintain the capability
of suspending operations in the 1620.1-1621.35 MHz band, upon notice
from the Commission, within no less than twenty four hours.

15\. This action is taken pursuant to 47 C.F.R. § 0.261; 47 C.F.R. §
25.120; 47 U.S.C. § 309 and 47 U.S.C. § 4(i), and is effective upon
adoption.

> FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
>
> Fern J. Jarmulnek
>
> Deputy Chief, Satellite Division
>
> International Bureau

[^1]: *Motorola Satellite Communications, Inc*., 10 FCC Rcd 2268 (1995),
    *corrected* 10 FCC Rcd 3925 (1995), *affirmed in part and modified*,
    11 FCC Rcd 18502 (1996). "Big LEO" refers to low-Earth orbit (LEO)
    mobile satellite services above 1 GHz.

[^2]: *U.S. Leo Services, Inc*., 11 FCC Rcd 20474 (Int. Bur. 1996).

[^3]: *See* File Nos. SAT-STA-20030414 (grant dated April 11, 2003 and
    April 14, 2003); SAT-STA-20030425-00074 (granted on April 25, 2003);
    and SAT-STA-20030502-00077 (granted on May 13, 2003). Globalstar
    consented to each of Iridium's requests except for the one
    requesting authority to operate on Globalstar's Channel 8
    (1618.85-1620.10 MHz) from May 2, 2003 through May 13, 2003.

[^4]: Letter from Peter D. Shields, Counsel, Iridium, to Thomas S. Tycz,
    Chief, Satellite Division, FCC (May 9, 2003).

[^5]: Letter from Carl Wayne Smith, General Counsel, Defense Information
    Systems Agency, to Karl Nebbia, Deputy Associate Administrator,
    National Telecommunications and Information Administration (May 13,
    2003).

[^6]: Letter from William F. Adler, Vice President -- Legal and
    Regulatory Affairs, Globalstar L.P., to Thomas S. Tycz, Chief,
    Satellite Division, FCC (May 13, 2003).

[^7]: Iridium Constellation, LLC and Iridium, US LP, *Order*, DA 03-1917
    (rel. June 11, 2003).

[^8]: Comments of Cornell University, filed June 11, 2003 (*Cornell
    Comments*). The Arecibo Observatory is part of the National
    Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, a national research center operated
    under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.

[^9]: *Cornell Comments* at 5.

[^10]: *Cornell Comments* at 3.

[^11]: Comments of Globalstar, filed June 11, 2003.

[^12]: 47 U.S.C. § 309(c )(2)(G); 47 C.F.R. § 25.210(a).