Photo: USSI Global

USSI Global revealed Wednesday that the company will modernize Sinclair Broadcast Group’s satellite network to comply with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) C-Band spectrum transition. USSI Global will upgrade Sinclair’s satellite infrastructure over three years. The work is expected to be completed ahead of the FCC’s December 2023 Phase II accelerated relocation deadline. Additionally, USSI Global will provide managed services to maintain the network during and after the transition.

The FCC’s initiative will clear 300 Megahertz (MHz) of the C-Band’s 500 MHz bandwidth frequency for 5G mobile services, and relocate service providers within that spectrum to the remaining 200MHz. Sinclair is one of the providers that will vacate the 300 MHz targeted for 5G services. These transitions will require installing new satellites and antennas, upgrading existing antennas, and repointing of antennas and antenna filtering to align with frequency changes.

“Similar to the TV spectrum repack initiative that just ended, the C-Band spectrum transition is a technically challenging and multi-layered procedure that will affect tens of thousands of earth station antennas,” said Del Parks, CTO and Senior Vice President, Sinclair Broadcast Group. “USSI Global offers the comprehensive project management experience required to navigate Sinclair through what will be a very time-sensitive and labor-intensive transition, while ensuring our satellite services continue to operate without interruption.”