Mobile Satellite Ventures LP (MSV) has just announced the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted communications licenses for the two new MSV gateways in the U.S. that are being built to support the company’s nexgen integrated satellite-terrestrial communication network for North America.

MSV is constructing a network with four new gateways located in Napa, California and Dallas, Texas, along with similar facilities in Ottawa, Ontario and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in Canada. MSV also has an operating license for the Ottawa facility and has been granted authorization for the Saskatoon facility by Industry Canada (IC). Construction and preparation of all four sites is the responsibility of Boeing under the terms of the MSV-Boeing Next-Generation Space System contract. MSV has now begun acceptance testing of the new communications equipment installed at both the Napa and Saskatoon facilities and plans to commence testing in the Dallas and Ottawa facilities during the first quarter of 2009. The Ottawa facility will also continue to serve as the communications gateway for MSV’s existing and legacy services.

“This is another milestone achieved in the development and planned launch of MSV’s next-generation integrated satellite-terrestrial network that will provide ubiquitous coverage for North America,” said Robert M. Sorbello, vice president of satellite engineering for MSV. “All four of our next-generation gateways will be operational in advance of the launch of our first next-generation satellite that has a launch period beginning during the fourth quarter of 2009.”