Lessons from ICO v Ofcom for Satellite Operators

On 30 July 2010, the Administrative Court refused an application by ICO Satellite Limited (ICO) for judicial review of a decision by the Office of Communications  (Ofcom) to request the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to cancel ICO's filing in the ITU's Master International Frequency Register (MIFR) for the ICO-P mobile satellite communications system (ICO-P satellite network).

The ICO v Ofcom  decision highlights the role of Ofcom, as the national administration in the UK for interfacing with the ITU in respect of spectrum rights at the international level, in monitoring the use of spectrum assignments by satellite operators.  Ofcom's Procedures for the Management of Satellite Filings (Guidance)  sets out details of reports on the status of the implementation of an assignment that operators are required to provide to Ofcom, evidencing any variations from the operator's business plan, and providing details of the spectrum coordination progress and