Satellite Experts Like FCC Proposals to Increase Spectrum Access

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2025 – A power level increase the Federal Communications Commission is contemplating in key satellite spectrum bands could likely be accomplished without major interference, experts said Thursday.

The agency proposed in April allowing higher power levels for low-earth orbit satellites in the 10.7-12.7 GigaHertz (GHz), 17.3-18.6 GHz, and 19.7-20.2 GHz bands, something dominant LEO operator SpaceX has said would dramatically improve its satellite broadband service. Power level limits on LEOs were set decades ago to protect incumbent geostationary satellite systems. 

“From everything I hear, the power levels can probably be increased safely,” said Armand Musey, founder of Summit Ridge Group. He spoke at an event hosted by New America, which recently released a lengthy report on LEO satellite policy.

He said that while moderating a panel at the Americas Spectrum Management Conference last week, a panelist noted that while geostationary incumbents would likely be minimally affected the move might make it harder for LEO providers other than SpaceX to enter into the band.

“He actually saw it as anticompetitive,” Musey said. “It would allow the existing LEOs to get more capacity from their networks, but may actually make it difficult to add additional LEO constellations. So that was an interesting point that should probably be thought about.”

SpaceX, which had asked for the rulemaking, submitted a filing to the FCC that was posted Thursday with new analyses that it said supported adopting the new power level framework. It was one of a deluge posted to the agency’s online comment system as the government began to reopen.

“These documents are already included in the international debate to update these old rules and support adoption – as quickly as possible – of the Commission’s proposed changes to the NGSO-GSO sharing rules, which would unlock the full capabilities of next-generation satellite systems and dramatically improve the speed and quality of satellite broadband used by millions of Americans,” the company wrote.

Satellite spectrum rules are usually harmonized globally, and the U.S. had proposed an update similar to what the FCC is currently considering in 2023. The International Telecommunication Union slated the issue for more testing ahead of the next global telecom conference in 2027.

Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Project New America’s Open Technology Institute, reiterated the group supported the agency moving ahead and adopting the rule unilaterally.

Opening more spectrum

The FCC is also taking comment on opening up as much as 20,000 megahertz of spectrum for satellite operators. 

Calabrese said the most significant parts were the 12.7-13.25 GHz and 42-42.5 GHz bands collectively about 1,000 megahertz, but more is under consideration in higher frequencies.

“Is this the right spectrum? Hard to pick, in the near term, better spectrum,” said Jeff Carlisle, managing member at Lerman Senter. “It’s adjacent to existing spectrum that’s used for satellite, so it’s much more efficient and provides you a lot more flexibility with what you’re doing if you can just expand satellite use into those areas.”

He said the extra airwaves would be useful for adding more gateways, the ground stations satellites communicate with to connect to the internet.

“You don’t have a satellite broadband network without a lot of gateways,” he said. “That’s the only way it really works if you want to achieve the kind of speeds that you’re talking about.”

Millimeter wave licensing

The FCC in August proposed making it easier for satellite operators to license earth stations in certain bands above 24 GHz, which are shared with terrestrial mobile operators that bought licenses at auction in 2019 for a collective $10 billion.

That spectrum doesn’t propagate as well as lower frequencies, and carriers have used it more for fixed wireless broadband than the mobile use initially envisioned. SpaceX had also suggested making earth station siting easier in the bands, calling the existing process too complicated to make use of.

The panelists said it should be doable to allow satellites into the band while coordinating to preserve existing terrestrial use by the mobile carriers.

“They’re different angles, right? The earth station to the satellite is going to go up, and the fixed wireless to people’s houses is going to go across,” Musey said. “So the beams shouldn’t really cross too much and the coordination should be far easier than other coordinations which have successfully been done.”

Carlisle said the Citizens Broadband Radio Service, a shared band used by fixed wireless providers and others, was evidence spectrum coordination databases would be viable in the bands.

Mobile carriers had objected when SpaceX proposed the idea, worrying the licenses they paid for could be upended somehow.

Joe Kane, director of broadband and spectrum policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, said he also worried about the prospect.

“I just sort of worry about the FCC pulling the rug out from people who have paid for the spectrum under these licenses,” he said. “I think there’s ways you could do it to enhance the productivity of the spectrum while also making whole or maintaining some kind of priority for people who showed up and said ‘Hey, we’re willing to pay for this spectrum.’”