The European Commission invites for applications for the selection of operators of pan-European mobile satellite systems. This calls for applications was published in the Official Journal of te European Union on August 7th, and will be opened until October 7th 2008.

On June 30th 2008, Decision Nº 626/2008/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the selection and authorisation of systems providing mobile satellite services (MSS) was adopted. This Decision created a Community procedure for the common selection of operators of mobile satellite systems that use the 2 GHz frequency band, comprising radio spectrum from 1980 to 2010 MHz for Earth to space communications, and from 2170 to 2200 MHz for space to Earth communications. The Commission is therefore now inviting applicants to select operators of MSS.

Applicants should meet the following requirements:

• Being established in the Community.
• Applicants shall demonstrate their experience and expertise in the satellite telecommunications sector, particularly in relation to establishing and operating satellite mobile networks and providing satellite mobile communications services in competitive markets.
• Where an applicant has no previous experience in this sector, the experience of its senior management shall be assessed and therefore CVs of all senior management shall be provided indicating their current role and their specific experience for this post.
• Applicants should also have to demonstrate a sufficient financial strength and stability, showing that the have the necessary financial resources to cover the capital and operating costs that willnecessarily be involved. 

Some other requirements and general criteria for the selection and authorisation of system operators providing mobile satellite services were approved by the European Parliament in May 2008. In this case, one of these requirements includes that mobile satellite system proposed shall cover a service area of at least 60 % of the aggregate land area of the Member States, from the time the provision of MSS commences and that it must available to at least 50 % of EU population no later than seven years from the date of publication of the Commission's decision. Applicants will also have to identify the amount of radio spectrum requested, which shall be no more than 15 MHz for Earth to space and for space to Earth in relation to any single applicant.

The right to use the specific radio frequency and the right to operate a mobile satellite system will also be subject to some addition common conditions:

• Selected applicants will use the assigned radio spectrum for the provision of MSS.
• Selected applicants will have to meet milestones six to nine within 24 months of the selection decision.
• Selected applicants will have to honour any commitments they give in their applications or during the comparative selection procedure, irrespective of whether the combined demand for radio spectrum exceeds the amount available.
• Selected applicants shall provide to the competent authorities of all Member States an annual report detailing the status of development of their proposed mobile satellite system.
• Any necessary rights of use and authorisations shall be granted for a duration of eighteen years from the date of the selection decision.

The deadline for the submission of applications is 7 October 2008, and applications must be submitted to:
European Commission Information Society and Media Directorate-General
Unit B3 ‘Implementation of Regulatory Framework II’
BU 33 04/08
B-1049 Brussels

Additional informations on this call as well as further general information can be found at the Commission's Information Society Thematic Portal.

What are mobile satellite systems?

Mobile satellite systems are 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.