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SATELLITE ROW STILL RUMBLING
THE satellite row between the Isle of Man and Bermuda is not finished according to its director of telecommunications William Francis.
The long running dispute between the two Islands relates to a satellite slot over Bermuda that serves the North American market.
It was allocated to the Isle of Man by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), but Bermuda believes it was allocated the slot by the United Nations in the 1980s.
Early last year 500,000 was put aside by government to fight a legal challenge by Bermuda, such is the strategic importance of the slot.
The Isle of Man Government says the situation has been resolved and the Isle of Man has full rights to the slot, but Bermuda disagrees.
In a statement to the Royal Gazette in Bermuda, Mr Francis said talks over rights to use the slot were ongoing.
He said: 'We are still dealing with the technical terms of the respective filings - that's a long process.'
Tim Craine, the Isle of Man's director of space and e-commerce, said talks were over.
He said: 'I think this is just their way of trying to give the message to the wider industry that they didn't lose the battle with us, or that the deal isn't done, but as far as we are concerned it is.'
He added: 'The slots are filed by the ITU, we got there first and have the frequencies in that slot. As far as we are concerned it's ours.'
Both Island's are making a big effort to develop a presence in the space industry, worth an estimated $105bn in 2002, and were recently present at a space and telecommunications conference in Paris.
Earlier this month the Isle of Man hosted the International Space University (ISU) for its biannual conference, the first time it has been outside its home in Strasbourg.
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Weather for Isle of Man
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 7 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
