Eutelsat boss wants C-band status quo

Michel de Rosen, CEO at Eutelsat, but speaking as Chairman of the European Satellite Operators Association (ESOA), has heavily criticised the plan to permit terrestrial cellular operators access to C-band frequencies.

de Rosen told delegates to a conference in Abuja, Nigeria on January 28, that the proposed changes to the usage rules would have “a permanent and irreversible impact on the [African] continent”. He said that safe cellular and WiFi use of C-band was a “mirage”.

He stressed the existing safety and security needs for aircraft, police and government services as well as satellite-based C-band communications which all depend on C-band connectivity.