Starlink has just lost its frequency authorizations by decision of the Council of State. In response, Arcep is organizing a public consultation to comply with the demands of justice.
A few days ago, the Council of State decided to deprive Starlink of its hertzian frequencies. Seized by the environmental associations Priartem and Agir, the justice system chose toannul Arcep’s decision concerning the allocation of Starlink frequencies. Taken last February, this decision allocated two frequency bands to Elon Musk’s satellite Internet.
The Council of State considered that Arcep had acted in haste in the Starlink file. Justice particularly regrets that the telecommunications policeman did not no public consultation on the subject.
Arcep goes to the rescue of Starlink
In response to the Board’s decision, Arcep announces the setting up of a public consultation. “To comply with the decision of the Council of State, Arcep is organizing a public consultation to take the reactions of the actors on the allocation of frequencies to the company Starlink”explains Arcep in a press release published on its website on April 8, 2022.
This public consultation is open until May 9, 2022 at 6 p.m.. All industry responses will be made public. “for the sake of transparency”. Once this consultation has been organised, Arcep will again be able to make a decision concerning the frequencies allocated to Starlink.
Justice considers that the authorization of Starlink in France is likely tohave a major impact on the market and on the French. Arcep is not of this opinion. This is why no public consultation has been organized by the telecoms policeman.
“Arcep considered that it would neither have a significant impact on the market nor affect the interests of end users. Indeed, the considered frequency band allows a cohabitation of multiple satellite actors, thus not leading to a phenomenon of scarcity of frequencies”details Arcep, stressing that other very high-speed Internet access offers via satellite exist in France.
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The organization is committed to make its decision public as soon as possible once all the consultation responses have been received. In the meantime, the Starlink service is free to operate in France.
