ITWire

Questions on the issue put to NBN Co CEO Mike Quigley by the Joint Standing Committee on the NBN on Monday, where he revealed that the orbital slot application process was still ongoing despite NBN Co having ordered two satellites at a total cost of $660m. This revelation provoked a blistering attack from shadow communications minister Turnbull.

In response NBN Co sought confirmation that its commencement of satellite construction in parallel with securing orbital allocations for them was neither reckless nor unusual.

The ITU told NBN Co: "It is possible for a company to purchase a satellite in advance of it being put into use and the orbital slots being finalised.

"In order to secure those slots the notifying authority, which in Australia is the Australian Communications and Media Authority, needs to (a) initialise the registration procedure with the ITU, and (b) resolve any major compatibility issues with operators of neighbouring satellites.

"So long as there are no regional objections and the ITU registration process is underway an operator can proceed with its launch plans."

NBN Co also called on people "engaged by NBN Co on the satellite frequency coordination process [who] are internationally-acknowledged expert consultants in the field in support of its claims."

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