FCC Space Bureau Chief Highlights Role of LEO Satellites in Broadband Expansion
Bureau Chief Jay Schwarz outlined two key priorities: Modernizing licensing systems and ensuring adequate spectrum.
WASHINGTON, March 20, 2025 — As demand for global connectivity increases, low-Earth orbit satellite broadband is emerging as a key player in bridging the digital divide. However, challenges related to spectrum allocation and regulatory oversight remain pressing issues, according to experts at a Broadband Breakfast Live Online event Wednesday.
Jay Schwarz, chief of the Federal Communications Commission's Space Bureau, said LEO satellite technology has dramatically changed the broadband landscape since the 2010 National Broadband Plan, which barely mentioned satellite services.
"I think that we are in a much different place," Schwarz said. "What was not able to be seen in 2010 by the greatest minds working in this area is a good reminder that we all need to have that humility of there's going to be great things that innovators develop that are going to deliver for humanity."
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Schwarz, who recently rejoined the FCC after serving as vice president of public policy at Comcast, said he personally uses LEO satellite broadband at his home where wired broadband is unavailable, calling it a "game changer" for his family.
"We end up in this somewhat bizarre place where on one hand we're telling everybody broadband is essential," Schwarz said, "and at the same time we're telling unconnected Americans, 'You're going to wait five years before we're ever going to give it to you,' when we have this option that's sitting out here that is LEO broadband."
The Space Bureau chief outlined two key priorities: modernizing licensing systems with a focus on speed, predictability and flexibility, and ensuring adequate spectrum for space operations.
"We don't want the trip to get a license with the FCC to be a multi-year odyssey," Schwarz said. "We're all for multi-year odysseys throughout interplanetary space, but we don't want your trip to the FCC to be a multi-year odyssey just to get a license."
Industry growth and orbital challenges
Peter Davidson, vice president of global government affairs and policy at Intelsat, highlighted the explosive growth in the space economy, noting the industry is "rocking" with innovation, investment and new technologies.
Madeleine Chang, director of policy at the Satellite Industry Association, shared data showing remarkable growth in the sector. "Broadband revenue and subscribers grew by 40% and 27% respectively [...] driven by proliferated LEO systems," Chang said, citing the organization's 2024 annual report. "Non-stationary capacity in orbit multiplied by 1,200 times since the first LEO broadband satellite was launched in 2014."
However, this rapid expansion poses challenges. Davidson mentioned potential congestion and interference issues as the LEO orbit becomes more crowded, with an estimated tenfold increase in satellites over the next 5-10 years.
Chang noted international coordination complexities, particularly with Chinese LEO constellations. "Our U.S. operators may be scrambling to find an email address for a Chinese operator just so they can share some of their data so they don't crash," she said.
Radio astronomy concerns and solutions
Chris De Pree, deputy spectrum manager for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, explained how LEO constellations present unique challenges for radio astronomy.
"The challenge of LEOs is that these new satellite constellations now put the sources of RFI [radio frequency interference] up in the sky over our radio telescopes and potentially even in the most sensitive part of our radio telescope," De Pree said.
He described an innovative solution called "operational data sharing" that NRAO has developed in collaboration with SpaceX. This system allows radio telescopes to share their pointing information, frequency and bandwidth in real time, enabling satellite operators to adjust their satellites to minimize interference.
Contrasting orbital types and services
Experts explained key differences between satellite orbits. LEO satellites operate closer to Earth, providing lower latency but requiring larger constellations. GEO satellites position much farther from Earth and remain fixed over a location, while MEO satellites offer a middle ground.
"In terms of broad mass consumer broadband connectivity, LEO has some very favorable latency characteristics," Davidson said. "GEO constellations on the other hand are much further up, so they have some latency challenges, but the economics of GEO works really well."
Chang added that LEO satellites orbit the Earth multiple times daily and typically have lifespans of 3-5 years, whereas GEO satellites can cover about a third of Earth and last 15-20 years.
Mark Jamison, non-resident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, emphasized viewing LEO satellites as part of an interconnected communications ecosystem rather than as standalone services.
"LEO is simply part of that," Jamison said. "How it's a part of that is going to change a lot over time."
He cautioned against attempts to impose specific market structures to enhance competition, drawing a parallel to past telecommunications policy debates.
"In the US, devices and network services were bundled together, and people said, 'Well, that's just not competitive,’ he explained. “But [...] that turned out being more competitive. It actually spread mobile services faster and farther than did the unbundled requirement.”
When asked about spectrum efficiency and competition in the LEO market, currently dominated by SpaceX's Starlink, Chang noted that the landscape is evolving. "LEO broadband is not just Starlink. OneWeb is also operational, and Amazon Kuiper and Telesat are also launching this year," she said. "The marketplace is going to become more competitive."
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