The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to approve rule revisions this month to relax power limits on satellite spectrum use, which will greatly promote the development of space-based broadband services such as SpaceX’s Starlink. The FCC said Wednesday it will vote on April 30 on a measure that would allow broader and denser use of wireless spectrum for space activities, a measure expected to generate $2 billion in economic benefits through increased broadband use.
Current rules, adopted in the 1990s, limit the power consumption of Starlink and other systems. The FCC said the proposed revisions could increase the capacity of space-based broadband services to seven times its current capacity, allowing for higher speeds, lower costs and greater reliability.
The FCC said the revised rules will allow users in rural and remote areas to enjoy the fastest space-based broadband services.
"Repeating last century's satellite regulations would bring billions of dollars to the U.S. economy and deliver broadband speeds many times faster than today," said Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr.
SpaceX submitted a petition in August 2024, seeking to modify the relevant rules. The company told the FCC last month that the current rules "impose excessive restrictions on next-generation satellite systems, creating numerous unnecessary constraints that directly harm the interests of millions of consumers who rely on these systems for high-speed broadband service."
U.S. satellite operators Viasat and DirecTV have both opposed the rule changes, fearing higher power levels would interfere with their satellites.
In January this year, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission approved SpaceX’s application to deploy an additional 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites. SpaceX said the satellites will provide communications services outside the United States directly connected to cellular networks and supplement network coverage within the United States. This will enable next-generation mobile services and internet speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second.
SpaceX has become the world's largest satellite operator with its Starlink network. The Starlink network consists of more than 10,000 satellites and provides broadband Internet services to consumer, government and enterprise customers.