1. The purpose of this Decision is to facilitate the development of a competitive internal market for mobile satellite services (MSS) across the Community and to ensure gradual coverage in all Member States.
This Decision creates a Community procedure for the common selection of operators of mobile satellite systems that use the 2 GHz frequency band in accordance with Decision 2007/98/EC, comprising radio spectrum from 1 980 to 2 010 MHz for earth to space communications, and from 2 170 to 2 200 MHz for space to Earth communications. It also lays down provisions for the coordinated authorisation by Member States of the selected operators to use the assigned radio spectrum within this band for the operation of mobile satellite systems.
2. Operators of mobile satellite systems shall be selected through a Community procedure, in accordance with Title II.
3. The selected operators of mobile satellite systems shall be authorised by Member States in accordance with Title III.
4. Operators of complementary ground components of mobile satellite systems shall be authorised by Member States in accordance with Title III.
1. The definitions laid down in Directive 2002/21/EC and Directive 2002/20/EC shall apply for the purposes of this Decision.
2. The following definitions shall also apply:
(a)
‘mobile satellite systems’ shall mean electronic communications networks and associated facilities capable of providing radio-communications services between a mobile earth station and one or more space stations, or between mobile earth stations by means of one or more space stations, or between a mobile earth station and one or more complementary ground components used at fixed locations. Such a system shall include at least one space station;
(b)
‘complementary ground components’ of mobile satellite systems shall mean ground-based stations used at fixed locations, in order to improve the availability of MSS in geographical areas within the footprint of the system’s satellite(s), where communications with one or more space stations cannot be ensured with the required quality.
