Inmarsat is committed to using a network of ground-based repeater stations to augment its S-band in-flight capacity, and to boost connectivity for airline passengers. Eutelsat and ViaSat of California have their own plans for similar aircraft services, and had objected to the Inmarsat plan.

France’s ARCEP (Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes) the independent regulator for radio spectrum, has authorised the use by Inmarsat of its European Aviation Network (EAN) together with its associated complementary ground components.

The permission is granted until 2027. The UK’s regulator Ofcom granted its permission last October.

Inmarsat (with Deutsche Telekom and Nokia) is building about 300 of these repeater stations across Europe, scattered from Norway and Sweden in the North to Portugal in the West and Greece in the East. 50 such base stations will be established in France. Inmarsat says services will start within months.

Inmarsat’s EAN capacity was launched as part of the Arabsat/HellasSat-3 satellite launched to 39 degrees East in June 2017 and entered service last September.

Eutelsat says it is considering its next legal steps.

Other posts by :

1. SpaceX fearful of AST SpaceMobile’s potential?
2. Equatys wants 2,800 new satellites
3. FCC eyes freeing up Weird Space Stuff spectrum
4. SES happy with releasing 160MHz of spectrum for 5G
5. Inmarsat “likely to win appeal” over Ligado/AST action
6. FCC seeks fair play over foreign satellite access
7. Bank raises RocketLab target price
8. Paramount throws kitchen sink
9. Ukraine wants its own LEO system

Categories: Articles, Broadband, Policy, Regulation, Satellite