EchoStar Corporation and its Hughes Network Systems business segment along with Intelsat have come out in support of the draft regulatory fee order under consideration by the Federal Communications Commission for its May 13 open meeting.
The order is intended to level the playing field between the US and foreign satellite operators, reworking the regulatory fee structure and ensuring foreign operators pay for the work from which they benefit.
Commenting on the draft, Jennifer A. Manner, Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, EchoStar/Hughes, said: “The draft order is extremely important to US satellite operators, including EchoStar/Hughes as well Intelsat, as it rebalances the regulatory fee structure to ensure that foreign satellite operators providing US service, like domestic operators, pay regulatory fees for the work from which they benefit. This cost allocation will have several benefits, including removing an incentive for US operators to move off-shore.”
Susan Crandall, Associate General Counsel, Intelsat US LLC, remarked: “The draft order’s conclusion to require foreign-licensed satellite operators to pay regulatory fees is a fair result that treats all satellite operators providing service to the US equally.”
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