Last month Dish won a ruling to convert some satellite spectrum to be used as cell phone spectrum.
According to people involved in the transaction, the unrealized value of selling more satellite spectrum has private equity players salivating.
FORBES: Why Private Equity is Chasing the next Satellite Dream
The smart money is still analyzing if Inmarsat could sell more of its valuable satellite spectrum in other countries down the road.
FORBES: Why did Phil Falcone really sell-off half his Inmarsat stake?
The first buyer that comes to mind is LightSquared, which is trying to roll out a wholesale-only fourth-generation network using what was satellite spectrum for a terrestrial build-out.
FORBES: T-Mobile Spectrum Grab Gives AT&T Stock A Green Light
According to the rules of the Federal Communication Commission, which granted Cablevision the license for this satellite spectrum, Cablevision does not officially own the spectrum until it has launched a satellite and a service.
As rumors began to circulate in recent weeks that the Department of Justice had rejected the union, Ergen came back to the table and offered to give up some of his satellite spectrum for use by satellite-TV competitors.
There have been a few anecdotal concerns raised over the last several weeks that LightSquared's proposed LTE network -- which would repurpose L-band spectrum formerly used for satellite -- is too close to the spectrum used by the Global Positioning System, leading to unintentional jamming when the towers overpower the much weaker GPS signals.
ENGADGET: US Air Force raises concerns over LightSquared's LTE network messing with GPS
Curiously, a fee-based arrangement isn't the only topic of discussion, as it's also said that Sprint is exploring a spectrum sharing arrangement with Dish that would put the satellite company's unused spectrum licenses to use.
ENGADGET: Sprint reportedly wooing Dish with spectrum sharing and MVNO possibilities
Those two controlled spectrum for satellite data that Ergen subsequently convinced the FCC to allow him to convert for terrestrial use.
FORBES: It's Clear Why Dish Wants Sprint, But Should Sprint Want Dish?
But Cablevision bought the satellite service, or spectrum, years ago, as it was trying to transform itself from a mere cable company into an entertainment conglomerate.
The company notes that the WCS spectrum was first auctioned in 1997, but has not been utilized for mobile Internet usage due to technical rules designed to avoid possible interference to satellite radio users in adjacent spectrum bands.
Media reports say Cablevision (nyse: CVC - news - people ) would buy some of EchoStar's (nasdaq: DISH - news - people ) spectrum space and satellite capacity assets, hopefully easing regulators' concerns for how EchoStar's acquisition of Hughes (nyse: GMH - news - people ) would effect competition in the industry.
Frontier is in cahoots with Echostar, though it's not clear how (or if) the new spectrum would augment its satellite TV service.
ENGADGET: FCC releases 700MHz auction details, Verizon, AT&T big winners
The deal is unique in that the spectrum is currently reserved for satellite radio, and the reallocation would mark the first of its kind within the WCS band.
ENGADGET: FCC chairman green-lights AT&T's use of WCS spectrum for LTE with proposed order
Basically, these guys just got regulatory approval last week to buy satellite operator SkyTerra, combining about 23MHz of spectrum through slivers of ownership in the 1.4GHz and 1.6GHz terrestrial bands with 10MHz of L-band satellite space.
ENGADGET: New US LTE network borne of satellite operators, launching next year
Analysts speculate it plans to stream mobile video, as the spectrum is not technically suited for regular satellite TV.
With 3GPP's standards now approved, DISH is poised to enter the wireless business as rapidly as possible, assuming favorable FCC approval of rules that will allow DISH to use the spectrum (which is already approved for satellite and terrestrial service) more efficiently for terrestrial wireless services for smartphones, tablets and computers.
ENGADGET: Dish's AWS-4 wireless spectrum standards approved by 3GPP
For 145 years, ITU has coordinated the shared global use of the radio spectrum, promoted international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, worked to improve telecommunication infrastructure in the developing world, established the worldwide standards that foster seamless interconnection of a vast range of communications systems and addressed the global challenges of our times, such as mitigating the impact of natural disasters and climate change and strengthening cybersecurity.
It would gain scale efficiencies, such as the elimination of duplicated satellite transmissions by two separate firms, thereby freeing up spectrum for beaming down other channels and services.
The company also recently resolved potential interference concerns with XM Sirius satellite radio that have kept it from making use of additional spectrum it held in the WCS band.
FORBES: AT&T Moves Dramatically Towards 'Internet Everywhere'
The satellite companies echo Hazlett's point they are part of a diverse spectrum of technologies and products that were competing for listeners' ears and pocket books.
CNN: Proposed satellite radio merger: Boon for consumers or monopoly?
Yet despite high costs of entry and regulatory limits on spectrum availability and infrastructure investment, new technologies (LTE, satellite, microwave, and higher-frequency communications) and new competitors continue to enter the market all the time.
FORBES: Justice Condemns AT&T/T-Mobile: Three Reasons Silicon Valley Should Worry
The development of satellite-based mobile-telephony is creating demand for new bits of the radio spectrum.
Falcone explained he was buying up spectrum anywhere he could and was building a 4G terrestrial network with a satellite overlay.
FORBES: Hedge Fund Billionaire Falcone Likes Crosstex Energy And MLPs
Dish needs a home for its wireless spectrum, but Sprint isn't looking to be in the declining satellite TV business and it's nearly ready to close its deal with Softbank anyway.
On June 1, the FCC closed its comment period regarding proposed rules that would provide additional flexibility for DISH to use their spectrum to deliver ground-based wireless broadband, in addition to the satellite and ancillary terrestrial communications the company is already licensed to provide.
New uses of the electromagnetic spectrum have given rise to everything from cell phones to phased array radars to satellite radio.
FORBES: In Digital Age, U.S. Military Still Stuck With Vietnam-Era Jammers
The WCS spectrum, on the other hand, has been dogged by interference issues with nearby satellite signals owned by Sirius XM, making it near impossible to get any kind of wireless broadband to work on those frequencies.
FORBES: AT&T's LTE Prospects Bolstered By FCC Chairman's Support
Like the spectrum, these have no resale value, but they're worth a fortune to anyone in the satellite business.
应用推荐