je.st
news
SES wins ruling in Eutelsat dispute over Europe rights
2013-09-16 15:33:00| Telecompaper Headlines
(Telecompaper) Satellite operator SES has asserted its right to the 28.5 degrees East orbital position following key rulings in its dispute with Eutelsat over the rights. SES acquired the rights to Kuband frequencies at 28.5 degrees under an agreement with German company Media Broadcast (MB). Eutelsat currently uses the frequencies for its Eurobird-1 satellite (also known as Eutelsat 28A) under a 1999 agreement with Deutsche Telekom, the former licence holder of the rights, before it transferred in 2002 its satellite activities to MB. After SES signed the agreement with MB, Eutelsat started arbitral proceedings against SES at the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris. In a partial award on 04 September, the Arbitral Tribunal held that the 1999 agreement did not bar SES from using the frequencies if and when Eutelsat no longer holds the regulatory right to operate in those bands under German licensing. In a judgment on 30 August, a German court also barred Eutelsat from using the spectrum, saying Intelsat could take over the slot from 04 October 2013, according to its agreement with MB. Eutelsat said it plans to appeal the German ruling and is also awaiting a second ruling from the ICC over whether Intelsat's agreement with MB was in violation of the satellite operators' agreement from 2009.
Tags: rights
europe
ses
wins
Category:Telecommunications