In a win for SpaceX’s Starlink, the Federal Communications Commission is giving low-Earth orbiting satellites access to more radio spectrum.

On Thursday, the FCC unanimously voted to open 1,300 megahertz of spectrum in the 17.3 to 17.8GHz bands to non-geostationary satellites, which would include Starlink satellites that operate closer to Earth.

The goal is to foster competition and expand “the ability of satellite operators to deploy advanced services, including high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved areas,” the FCC says. The order specifically enables non-geostationary satellites to harness the 17GHz bands for downlinking purposes or to send data from space down to Earth. The spectrum would also be shared with higher-orbiting geostationary satellites, which got access in 2022.

So it's possible the new rules could lead to a significant download speed increase for Starlink. During the vote, FCC staff explained the order will allow both stationary and in-motion devices to receive signals from satellites using the 17GHz spectrum. But it sounds like companies will first need to receive a license from the FCC.

SpaceX and Amazon’s Project Kuiper have been among the companies in support of freeing up the spectrum. Last week, SpaceX told the FCC that opening the 17GHz to next-generation satellite service “will bring tremendous benefits to consumers by ensuring that scarce, shared spectrum resources are used as intensively and productively as possible.”

However, AT&T and Verizon are concerned that opening the 17GHz to low-Earth orbiting satellite providers risks causing interference with their own networks. The dispute has led the companies to submit their own analyses to the FCC, arguing for or against the spectrum use.

In response, commission staff said the order includes protections to prevent interference with higher-orbiting geostationary satellites and ground-based telecommunication services.

The full text of the order hasn't been released yet, although a draft version was posted earlier this month. But in her prepared remarks, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said: "Our rules allow a range of use cases from different orbits, bolstering competition in the space economy and creating more opportunities for companies from the United States around the world."

By: DocMemory
Copyright © 2023 CST, Inc. All Rights Reserved