Inmarsat takes on Dutch government over 5G spectrum allocation

Inmarsat has launched civil court proceedings in the Netherlands over 5G spectrum allocation. It is looking to protect its provision of maritime and aviation safety services from its ground station in Borum.

The UK satellite operator says it is seeking a judge’s ruling on potential illegality of the country’s proposed National Frequency Plan.

Basically, it is seeking an injunction to review the change in spectrum allocation set out by the Dutch Government.

The change will reallocate spectrum currently used by essential satellite-based maritime safety services to 5G telecoms, states the company (such as Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) systems). It believes the change is unnecessary given that both can operate together within the spectrum band in question.

“Inmarsat is committed to the Netherlands, its Dutch team and to providing the company’s free of charge, life-saving safety and distress satellite services for seafarers worldwide that land at the ground station in Burum in the Northern part of the Netherlands. Inmarsat wishes to find an amicable solution to this issue with the Dutch Government and to continue providing its safety operations in Burum.”

The company says it has been seeking a solution for more than eighteen months, but blames the Ministry of Economic Affairs for “intransigence”.

It highlights the importance of its ground station in Burum, in the northern tip of the Netherlands, for providing maritime and flight safety services.

“Given the demand of the Dutch Government for Inmarsat to undertake the enormous task of moving significant and globally essential services to another country to continue its operations, which is unnecessary following technical studies that prove that coexistence is possible between satellite services and 5G telecoms, the company has been left with no choice but to initiate these injunction proceedings.”

“Inmarsat wishes to continue safety services from Burum, on which millions of seafarers and aviation passengers and crew depend daily, alongside its commercial operations there. However, should a move be forced on Inmarsat, then the proposed timing of the changeover in frequency use in the NFP is unrealistic and will require a long transitional term to carry out the wholly avoidable move.”