USSI Global embarking on Phase II of C-band transition for Intelsat

In the United States, the FCC’s C-band spectrum transition will clear 300MHz of the C-band’s 500MHz bandwidth for 5G mobile services by December next year. USSI Global has been working with Intelsat and other satellite companies to relocate the TV, radio and other services they carry to the upper 200MHz of C-band spectrum approved for on-going satellite contribution and distribution. 

USSI Global was chosen to manage and execute the transition across all phases, which focuses on freeing the spectrum for flexible use and mitigating 5G interference risks. The company executed a programme management plan that started with call centre outreach to approximately 2,500 sites to inventory C-band antennas and scope the associated transition work at each site. 

Engineers and technicians were also deployed around the country to install 5G passband filters and antennas at nearly 300 sites. In addition, new satellite integrated receiver/decoders (IRDs) were installed at select programmer affiliate sites to help implement the compression technology upgrades required by Intelsat’s Transition Plan.

USSI Global has completed Phase I of Intelsat’s accelerated C-band clearing and relocation activities. Phase I was completed last October; USSI Global provided logistics and field services that were essential in supporting Intelsat’s customer service transitions, technology upgrades and earth station filtering required to meet the schedule as mandated by the FCC’s Report and Order. 

Building upon this success, USSI Global will assist Intelsat to execute a similar programme management plan for Phase II of the transition, which requires approximately three times as many sites and antennas to be transitioned, with the target completion ahead of the FCC’s December 2023 deadline.