Inmarsat goes to court over spectrum allocation in the Netherlands

Inmarsat, a global enabler in mobile satellite communications will initiate proceedings with the civil court in the Netherlands seeking an injunction to review the change in spectrum allocation set out by the Dutch Government, given a contravention of national and international law in the proposed update to the National Frequency Plan (NFP).

The change aims to reallocate spectrum currently used by essential satellite-based maritime safety services to 5G telecoms, which is unnecessary given 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 has sought such a solution for more than eighteen months. However, to date one has not been possible due to the intransigence of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Should the Ministry wish to resume conversations towards a mutually-agreed solution, Inmarsat would continue its approach of constructive engagement in the interests of the users of the company’s vital 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.

Out of respect for the court proceedings and potential discussions with the Government, Inmarsat will not comment further at this stage.