[Satellite Today 11-20-08] Mobile Satellite Ventures LP (MSV) has been granted by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) communications licenses for two new MSV gateways in the United States, the company announced Nov. 20.
     MSV is constructing a network with gateways in Napa, Calif., and Dallas, along with similar facilities in Ottawa, Ontario and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. MSV also has an operating license for the Ottawa facility and has been granted authorization for the Saskatoon facility by Industry Canada (IC). The gateway network will support the company’s next-generation satellite-terrestrial communication network for North America. MSV has begun acceptance testing of the communications equipment installed at both the Napa and Saskatoon facilities and plans to begin testing in the Dallas and Ottawa facilities during the 2009 first quarter.
     Boeing is constructing the gateways as part of its contract to develop MSV’s next-generation space system.
     "This is another milestone achieved in the development and planned launch of MSV’s next-generation integrated satellite-terrestrial network that will provide ubiquitous coverage for North America,” Robert Sorbello, vice president of satellite engineering for MSV, said in a statement "All four of our next-generation gateways will be operational in advance of the launch of our first next-generation satellite.”