LUXEMBOURG--SES, the leader in global content connectivity solutions, announces the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has validated the certification of SES’s Phase I accelerated C-band clearing and relocation activities, a critical step to help meet the Commission’s objectives to quickly roll out 5G services across the United States.

With the help of trusted partners across the U.S., SES has completed all necessary Phase I clearing and relocation activities. These activities included relocating all of its existing services that are received by Incumbent Earth Stations out of the 3700-3820 MHz band exclusively in the contiguous United States and making necessary equipment changes on all associated Incumbent Earth Stations. SES also modified its telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C) operations to operate above 4000 MHz and consolidated gateway services below 3820 MHz to two earth stations located in Hawley, PA and Brewster, WA.

In accordance with the FCC Report and Order published in the Federal Register on 23 April 2020, SES has satisfied the Phase I relocation requirements in advance of the first accelerated relocation deadline on 5 December 2021, making it eligible for the first accelerated relocation payment valued at close to $1 billion. SES expects this payment to be made in Q1 2022.

SES remains on track to clear 280 MHz of spectrum to speed deployment of 5G services in the United States and is now focused on completing transition activities to meet the Phase II deadline of 5 December 2023. Successfully completing the Phase II activities by that deadline makes SES eligible for a further $3 billion accelerated relocation payment.

“We are pleased to have met the FCC’s ambitious Phase I accelerated clearing and relocation deadline. Over the past two years we have worked tirelessly to quickly clear spectrum while also carefully transitioning our customers’ services, and we are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished. This was a tremendous undertaking, and our success reinforces our confidence in our ability to meet the FCC’s Phase II deadline in 2023,” said Steve Collar, CEO at SES.