Last week, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) — in a significant ruling — granted Telesat’s petition to access the U.S. market using Telesat’s soon to be deployed global LEO satellite constellation.
 
Telesat has obtained worldwide rights to the use of approximately 4 GHz of Ka-band spectrum for the company's LEO system, which is ideal for high-performing broadband satellite networks. The company’s LEO constellation will be another achievement that transforms global communications.

Telesat’s LEO system will both enable and accelerate the world’s digital transformation by providing high-performing, cost-effective, fiber-like broadband anywhere in the world for business, government and individual users.

The initial constellation will consist of around 120 satellites by 2021 and Telesat is evaluating options to expand its system beyond the initial deployment. Telesat is launching two Phase 1 LEO satellites later this year.
 
Dan Goldberg, the President and CEO of Telesat, said that the FCC’s grant of Telesat’s application for U.S. market access is an important milestone in the company's plan to deploy an advanced, high capacity, low latency LEO constellation. The FCC’s ruling will bring manifold benefits to the U.S. market including improved access to the internet as well as the potential to enhance opportunities for U.S. workers and consumers, U.S. industry and the U.S. technology base. Next generation LEO satellite constellations have great promise for erasing the digital divide and Telesat encourages the FCC, as it reviews its spectrum allocation policies, to ensure that satellite operators have sufficient access to the spectrum necessary to deliver on that promise.