WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to start a process that could unlock more than 20,000 megahertz of spectrum for high-speed internet delivered from space.

That amount, approved at the agency’s May 22 open meeting, is more than the sum total of all spectrum available for satellite broadband today, the agency reported.

The agency reported that the vote is part of its Final Frontiers agenda to "secure U.S. leadership in space and supercharge the possibilities of satellite broadband."

The decision comes as the FCC investigates whether to reclaim some satellite spectrum from Echostar’s Dish. Recently, the Space Bureau established SB Docket No. 25-173 to seek comment on EchoStar’s use of the 2,000-2,020 MHz (Earth-to-space) and 2,180-2,200 MHz (space-to-Earth) (2 GHz bands) for mobile-satellite service (MSS).

EchoStar has also come under fire from Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which filed a letter with the FCC saying the commission “must swiftly recognize that Dish has left this valuable midband spectrum chronically underused and take steps to welcome new satellite entrants who will finally put this spectrum to use to serve the American people.”

In the new Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to open up 20,000 megahertz of spectrum, the Commission is seeking public comment on expanding satellite connectivity across four spectrum bands: 12.7-13.25 GHz, 42.0-42.5 GHz, 51.4-52.4 GHz, and the so-called “W-band” at 92.0-94.0 GHz, 94.1-100 GHz, 102.0-109.5 GHz, and 111.8-114.25 GHz.

“These underused bands—located in “spectrum neighborhoods” ideal for satellite broadband—are prime candidates for modernization,“ the FCC said.“For many years, outdated regulations restricted satellite operations in the 12.7 GHz band. The 42 GHz band is one of the rare bands that still remains greenfield. The 52 GHz band has no licensed commercial users. And the W-band presents exciting opportunities for gigabit capacity over a massive, but mostly empty, swath of spectrum long considered outside the practical realm of physics.

“The Commission intends to make good on its years-long efforts to unleash these bands for next-generation services,” the FCC continued. “The 12.7 and 42 GHz bands, which the Commission previously considered for terrestrial use, are adjacent to workhorse satellite frequencies in the Ku- and V- bands. Meanwhile, there has been growing and intense support to open up the 52 GHz band domestically after international decisions at WRC-19. And by seeking comment on the W-band, the Commission continues recent initiatives to push the limits of high-band spectrum and provide a “first-mover advantage” for U.S.-licensed operators.”

The May 22 action was approved unanimously by FCC Chair Brendan Carr and Commissioners Geoffrey Starks, Nathan Simington and Anna Gomez.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced the tentative agenda for the September Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, September 26, 2024.

The FCC described the agenda items as follows: 

• Improving Access to Video Conferencing Services – The Commission will consider a Second Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to ensure that people with disabilities can fully participate in video conferencing, including by the use of telecommunications relay services (TRS).  (CG Docket Nos. 23-161, 10-213, 03-123)
• Bolstering Protections Against Robocalls and Texts –The Commission will consider a Report and Order that would bolster current FCC rules on blocking and robocall mitigation in key areas, including by expanding requirements to block calls based on reasonable do-not-originate lists and by creating new financial penalties for carriers who fail to protect consumers from illegal calls.  (CG Docket Nos. 17-59, 21-402)
• Freeing Up Spectrum to Support Satellite Broadband Service – The Commission will consider a Report and Order that will provide 1300 megahertz of spectrum in the 17 GHz band for non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) space stations in the fixed-satellite service (FSS) while also protecting incumbent operations. The Order provides a more cohesive global framework for FSS operators and maximizes the efficient use of the 17 GHz band spectrum.  (IB Docket No. 22-273) 
• Improving Digital FM Radio Service – The Commission will consider a Report and Order implementing a streamlined process for authorizing digital transmissions at different power levels on the upper and lower digital sideband in order to enhance digital FM radio coverage and prevent interference.  (MB Docket No. 22-405)

The commission also said it plans to vote on seven unspecified enforcement actions. 

The FCC noted that publicly releases the draft text of each item expected to be considered at the next Open Commission Meeting.  Drafts of items under consideration that involve specific, enforcement-related matters, which can include restricted proceedings and hearing designation orders, will not be publicly released.  One-page cover sheets are included in the public drafts to help summarize each item.  All these materials will be available on the FCC’s Open Meeting page: www.fcc.gov/openmeeting. 

The Open Meeting is scheduled to commence at 10:30 a.m. ET in the Commission Meeting Room of the Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.  Open Meetings are streamed live at www.fcc.gov/live.

DALLAS—Parks Associates has launched its new Broadband Market Tracker with data showing that SpaceX's Starlink satellite broadband residential service has already attracted some 1.3 million subs in the U.S. 

The estimate is notable because it means that Elon Musk's Starlink service has overtaken long-time satellite broadband incumbents HughesNet and Viasat. As of Q1 2024, Starlink is the 12th largest residential internet service provider in the US market. The company is on track to become a top 10 residential ISP by market share by the end of 2024, Parks reported. 

"This year, significant changes in the broadband market include regulatory shifts, increasing competitiveness from wireless options, and mergers and acquisitions," said Kristen Hanich, research director, Parks Associates. "The end of the Affordable Connectivity Program has challenged both ISPs and consumers, and growing price sensitivity is driving renewed interest in service bundling. This research will follow this and other trends and measure their impacts on the bottom line of subscriber counts and revenues for all major providers."

As part of the new broadband market tracker, Parks also released a chart showing that nearly one fifth of all home broadband subscribers now have broadband speeds of 1 Gpbs or faster. 

The new annual research subscription service from Parks profiles more than 25 market leaders in the US and Canadian residential internet service markets. The Broadband Market Tracker delivers quarterly reports that analyze market trends, profile market leaders, and provide estimates for residential internet subscribers and revenues for the North American market. More information is available here. 

DENVER—EchoStar Corporation has announced an agreement with Astro Digital, a designer, manufacturer and operator of small satellite systems, for the construction of a global S-band mobile satellite service (MSS) network. 

The deal is part of a growing push by a number of companies to build low-orbit satellite networks to provide connectivity that could ultimately compete with broadband offerings from cable and other telecommunications providers. 

Under the deal, Astro Digital will manufacture the satellites for the constellation, which will deliver global Internet of Things (IoT), machine-to-machine (M2M) and other data services beginning in 2024. EchoStar will operate the constellation from its Australian subsidiary, EchoStar Global.

"This agreement represents another step forward towards our goal of a global non-terrestrial 5G network," said Hamid Akhavan, CEO, EchoStar. "With our engineering ingenuity, our service delivery expertise and our spectrum rights, EchoStar is uniquely positioned to offer worldwide S-band satellite services to help meet the insatiable demand for complete and constant connectivity."

The 28 satellites in this constellation design will feature an advanced software-defined radio with onboard storage and processing to power smart two-way device connectivity. The satellites will be enabled with the LoRa (meaning "Long Range") protocol for connecting very low-cost, long-lived devices. With support for 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN) services, the constellation will serve as a foundation for EchoStar to engineer 5G New Radio (NR) based NTN capabilities according to 3GPP release 17 specifications, the companies reported. 

"These new capabilities will fill a gap in the connected ecosystem, greatly expanding worldwide IoT interoperability," said Josh Williams, managing director, EchoStar Global Australia. "Our team, together with Astro Digital, has already begun integration of our Australian-based operations to bring to market a truly global solution with consistent and reliable network performance."

Through its subsidiary EchoStar Mobile Limited, EchoStar also operates an MSS network in Europe using the geostationary EchoStar XXI satellite, which will interoperate seamlessly with the new LEO constellation.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As companies push to launch more satellite broadband services, FCC Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced a plan to reorganize FCC’s International Bureau into a new Space Bureau and a standalone Office of International Affairs.

These changes will help ensure that the agency can continue to fulfill its statutory obligations and keep pace with the rapidly changing realities of the satellite industry and global communications policy, the Rosenworcel said. 

"The satellite industry is growing at a record pace, but here on the ground our regulatory frameworks for licensing them have not kept up,” she said at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. “Over the past two years the agency has received applications for 64,000 new satellites. In addition, we are seeing new commercial models, new players, and new technologies coming together to pioneer a wide-range of new satellite services and space-based activities that need access to wireless airwaves. Today, I announced a plan to build on this success and prepare for what comes next.  A new Space Bureau at the FCC will ensure that the agency's resources are appropriately aligned to fulfill its statutory obligations, improve its coordination across the federal government, and support the 21st century satellite industry."

The Commission licenses radio frequency used by satellites and ensures that space systems reviewed by the agency have sufficient plans to mitigate orbital debris under the authority of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.  

By establishing a stand-alone Space Bureau, the FCC believes it can better fulfill its statutory obligations and elevate the significance of satellite programs and policy within the agency to a level that reflects the importance of the emerging space economy, the role of satellites in the U.S. broadband market and its overall communications' strategy.   

The FCC also noted that the goal of establishing a stand-alone Office of International Affairs will allow relevant experts to focus specifically on matters of international communications regulation and licensing.  

GERMANTOWN, Md.—Hughes Network Systems has started rolling out a new low-latency satellite internet offering to consumers in select U.S. markets. 

The HughesNet Fusion plans are a multipath offering that blends Geostationary (GEO) satellite and wireless technologies into a fast and responsive satellite internet experience, the company said. 

"With HughesNet Fusion plans, we are solving the latency challenge inherent with GEO technology, while maximizing the many advantages of these time-tested satellites, including low cost, reliability, dense capacity and widespread availability," said Pradman Kaul, president of Hughes. "GEO satellites are the workhorses of the connected ecosystem, essential for meeting the demand for connectivity everywhere, particularly in rural areas, whether alone or in combination with other transports such as wireless and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites."

The Hughes multipath technology was previewed for reporters at the SATELLITE conference in March 2022.

"We are rapidly entering an era in which hybrid connectivity—both multi-transport and multi-orbit—will be commonplace,” Kaul said. “To realize that connected future, at Hughes we are integrating different transports with smart technologies and managed services to create a dynamic, always-on, connected environment that we call the ActiveComms Ecosystem. The HughesNet Fusion plans are an outcome of that approach."

"HughesNet Fusion plans elevate satellite internet as we know it today," added Peter Gulla, senior vice president, Hughes. "The multipath solution represents our continued commitment to meet the changing needs of those who live where other high-speed providers do not reach. The launch of our ultra-high density JUPITER™ 3 satellite next year will bring further service enhancements, including service plans with speeds up to 100 Mbps down."

When using satellites for internet access, signals travel a long distance from device to a satellite in space and back, the company explained. The time it takes for the signal to travel is known as latency. This delay doesn't impact most online activities but can be noticeable when, for instance, browsing content-rich sites and video conferencing.

Delivering low-latency satellite connectivity with 25 Mbps download speeds and No Hard Data Limits, HughesNet Fusion plans are available today to HughesNet customers in select regions across the country. Hughes aims to roll out the offering in markets across the U.S. later this year.

PORTLAND, Ore.—The global satellite communication industry, which had $56.01 billion in revenue in 2019, is expected to show a CAGR of 9.2% from 2020 to 2027 and hit $99.58 billion by 2027, according to a new report from Allied Market Research.

The development of Internet of Things (IoT) and autonomous systems, increased in demand for military and defense satellite communication solutions, and the rise in adoption of SATCOM equipment for online streaming services, radio, and TV broadcast will drive the growth of the global satellite communication market, the researchers said. 

High-end technological advancements in satellite missions and the deployment of 5G network through satellites are also projected open up new opportunities for the sector while cyber security threats to satellite communication and interference in satellite data transmission could restrain the growth.

The report found that the outbreak of the pandemic led to steep increase in demand for internet services, which, in turn, accelerated the call for satellite communication.

However, extended lockdowns across the world compelled satellite manufacturing facilities to partially or completely close their operations and delays in the development of innovative satellite communication solutions hurt the market. 

The broadcasting segment contributed to more than two-fifths of the total market share in 2019, and is anticipated to be the largest segment in 2027, due to rise in demand for direct-to-home satellite broadcasting services.  

However, the data communication segment would grow at the fastest CAGR of 10.7% from 2020 to 2027, the researchers predicted.

The services segment of the industry contributed to around two-thirds of the total market revenue in 2019, and is expected to dominate by 2027, due to rising need for high-speed and reliable internet connectivity, the report said. 

The equipment segment, on the other hand, would see faster growth with a CAGR of 9.9% from 2020 to 2027. 

More information on the "Satellite Communication Market by Application (Voice Communication, Broadcasting, and Data Communication), Component (Equipment and Services), and End-Use Industry (Maritime, Aerospace & Defense, Industrial, Government, Transportation & Logistics, Media, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020–2027,” is available here. 

I did a little light reading, [actually re-reading], over the holidays: 360 pages, 17 chapters and five appendices. The tome: “Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan.”

How time flies. It will be 10 years in March since the FCC published the massive work mandated by Congress. The theme of the plan is clearly stated in its executive summary: “Broadband in America is not all it needs to be.” To remedy the situation the plan made several recommendations, including making “500 megahertz of spectrum newly available for broadband within 10 years, of which 300 megahertz should be made available for mobile use within five years.”

I can still remember sitting in an auditorium during the 2010 NAB Show listening to former FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski—now a managing director at private equity firm The Carlyle Group in the U.S. Buyout team of the global telecommunications, media and technology—discuss the plan and how the impending spectrum crisis (or, was that a “spectrum crunch?”) would soon hinder the nation in manifold ways and how broadcasters could play an important role by participating in the incentive auction.

I also remember the FCC under the direction of his successor Tom Wheeler, who before taking on the chairmanship served 12 years as CEO of the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, then as an executive at D.C.-based venture capital firm Core Capital Partners and now is a visiting fellow for Governance Studies, Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings. He presided over the incentive auction, at one point calling it “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for broadcasters.

What prompted my holiday re-reading was the Dec. 20, 2019, Bloomberg article “Apple Has Secret Team Working on Satellites to Beam Data to Devices,” by Mark Gurman.

It is a real eye opener. “Apple Inc. has a secret team working on satellite technology that the iPhone maker could use to beam internet services directly to devices, bypassing wireless networks, according to people familiar with the work,” Gurman wrote.

While the project is in its early stages and could possibly be abandoned, Apple CEO Tim Cook has “shown interest in the project,” a sign that it is a priority for the company, he reported.

Wait just a second. I didn’t see one word about a $1.3 trillion tech company innovating satellite-delivered internet service to bypass wireless networks anywhere in the National Broadband Plan. It’s true, the word “satellite” is mentioned more than 100 times. But overall, the plan downplays how satellite-delivered broadband should fit into the future broadband service mix envisioned.

For example, on page 62 in footnote 10, the plan references “Broadband in America” by Robert C. Atkinson and Ivy Schultz, saying:

“Next-generation satellites will have much higher capacities, in excess of 100 Gbps each, with download speeds per user of up to 25 Mbps. Larger capacities could allow for usage patterns that more-closely mirror terrestrial usage. However, the high fixed costs of designing, building and launching a satellite mean that satellite-based broadband is likely to be cheaper than terrestrial service only for the most expensive-to-serve areas.”

Maybe, but Apple appears to be viewing things differently. And even if the company ultimately pulls the plug on its research, others are looking to provide internet bandwidth from space. According to an October 2019 CNBC story, Morgan Stanley believes companies offering satellite internet bandwidth are “where most of the upcoming value [$1.1 trillion by 2040] in the space industry will come.”

If Apple or some other well-funded company actually pulls off a satellite-based broadband service, where will that leave the wireless companies addressing the “spectrum crunch” with their 5G buildouts?

About 42% of U.S. smartphone customers currently use some sort of iPhone. One could only imagine the harmful effect on carriers of millions of future iPhone users ditching their wireless service in favor of an Apple satellite-based broadband alternative—something akin to the effects of cord cutting on cable TV companies.

That underscores the problem with today’s National Broadband Plan and any “2.0” version that may one day be released. Simply stated, the best-laid plans of mice and men—and regulators—often go awry.

Industries and infrastructures don’t typically turn on a dime, and when forced to respond to the priorities set by others with the power of government, they become vulnerable to innovators, entrepreneurs and iconoclasts who have a better solution or different vision and the dollars to bring them to fruition.

Until someone develops an accurate crystal ball, there will always be the risk that the future doesn’t play out as envisioned in some plan and that billions of dollars in capital spending on infrastructure will prove to have been misallocated. Sadly, however, that will only become apparent with the benefit of hindsight—often long after the money’s gone and those who developed the plan and advocated for it have moved on in their careers.

Perhaps two-time former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld best summed up the point, although in a different context. “[A]s we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don’t know we don’t know.”