The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has today received an inquiry from the Radio Regulatory Council regarding an ordinance proposal to partially revise the wireless equipment regulations in preparation for the introduction of new aeronautical mobile satellite communications services which use the Ku band.

Therefore, public comments will be accepted from Thursday, December 17, 2009 to Monday, January 18, 2010 regarding this ordinance proposal.

Background

High speed aeronautical mobile satellite communications services using the Ku band, which make connections to the internet possible while flying, are based on the verdict from the October 2003 Information and Communications Council verdict “Technical Conditions for High Speed and Large Capacity Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Communications Systems". This was instated in March 2004 and the connection by Boeing (CBB) service was officially started in November 2004, which allowed people to connect to the internet and send and receive email while flying.

Recently services other than SKYLink and CNN services are gaining momentum in the high speed aeronautical mobile satellite communications services field for business jets, and in Japan the introduction of these services is expected. This ordinance established related provisions which are necessary for the introduction of these services.

+++++++++++++++
For further information about this press release, please fill in the inquiry form and submit it to MIC on the website
http://www.soumu.go.jp/joho_tsusin/eng/contact.html

International Policy Division,
Global ICT Strategy Bureau, MIC
TEL: +81 3 5253 5374 / FAX: +81 3 5253 5924