EC invites bid for its Mobile Satellite serviceEuropian Commission has invited bids to launch new satellites to deliver mobile satellite services across Europe. If a new EU licensing plan for satellite operators achieves its goal than Europe can have Cheaper and more varied mobile communications services delivered by satellite by 2010. This implies that now operators do not have to move to 27 different national systems. Operators can now offer services such as high speed data, mobile TV, or emergency communications services through a single European selection procedure.
On the basis of bidders commercial and technical competence, Commission will initiate its selection. Second round of evaluation criteria includes geographic coverage, consumer and competitive benefits, public policy objectives and spectrum efficiency. Geographic coverage is the most important criterion: bidders must agree to cover at least 60 percent of E.U. territory when their service opens, and commercialize it in all E.U. countries within seven years. Efficient use of spectrum is very essential as the Commission has a frequency band of just 30MHz to play with for the whole of Europe. Terrestrial mobile phone operators will have more spectrum available to them and can further increase capacity. 7th Oct’08 is the last date to file application with the commission. As commission anticipates to launch satellite mobile data service by 2010. So the winner will be announced possibly in the middle of 2009.
