Future problems in planning for the Broadcasting-Satellite Service

With the Broadcasting Satellite Service (BSS) expected to begin in the mid-1980's, uncertainties concerning its development are unavoidable, particularly those regarding matters of technical development, cost trends and perceived service requirements. It is not yet clear which types of BSS will use which of the bands allocated for it, but the 12 GHz band appears the most attractive. The desirable technical parameters for bandwidth, modulation and EIRP also cannot be fixed yet. Further, the orbital positions and frequencies that best serve the needs of long-range multi-channel services may not be compatible with those that will serve economically the short-term limited-channel shared-satellite approach. Accordingly, flexible planning is necessary.