The Federal Communications Commission has approved a “satellite spectrum abundance” order that it says will open “massive” additional spectrum for better connectivity.
It makes available 1,000 megahertz of spectrum in the 12 GHz and 42 GHz bands for connectivity services, “including even faster satellite broadband.”
The commission provided the details in a fact sheet about the changes published earlier this month.
Chairman Brendan Carr has said that this action will assure that “consumers continue to benefit from competitive, high-speed internet delivered from next-gen satellites.”
The commission is promising spectrum abundance will expand high-speed connectivity to underserved areas and allow a new generation of space-based communications.
“Bountiful downlink spectrum for consumer terminals provides more bandwidth for in-home satellite broadband and with more spectrum for fixed earth stations, these rules can improve how traffic is routed on the ground,” it said in the announcement.
“Additional capacity for inter-satellite links strengthens the backbone in orbit and makes it more resilient. Bolstering spectrum access for earth stations in motion brings better connectivity to ships, planes and vehicles. New spectrum for telemetry, tracking and control opens the door to a wide range of industrial and commercial innovations in space that we are only beginning to imagine.”
It said the decision will bring more capacity for satellite broadband to homes, in-flight and on-ship connectivity, and core traffic-routing functions in satellite ground networks.
In the 12.7-GHz band, the order permits fixed-satellite service (FSS) operations in both uplink and downlink; allows FSS uplinks from individually licensed gateway and feeder link earth stations to space stations in geostationary satellite orbit (GSO) and non-geostationary orbit (NGSO); and allows uplinks from earth stations in motion (ESIMs) aboard aircraft and maritime vessels to GSO space stations and downlink transmissions from NGSO space stations to blanket licensed user terminals, including ESIMs.
In the 42-GHz band, it permits FSS downlink to individually licensed satellite gateway and feeder-link earth stations; maintains the existing primary allocation for terrestrial fixed service stations; and changes the allocation for terrestrial mobile service stations to secondary.
The commission also opened a further notice of proposed rulemaking to consider opening 1,450 megahertz of spectrum in the Ku- and Ka- bands, along with 138.25 gigahertz in the D-band, for “more intensive satellite communications.”
And in a second FNPRM, it added more spectrum bands under consideration for space-related applications including control of spacecraft and transmission of data for newly developing space operations.
