The Upper C-Band auction will show whether SpaceX truly wants to challenge terrestrial operators head-on. Recent deals have already sharpened the threat. SpaceX agreed to acquire Grain Management’s nationwide 800 MHz portfolio, reportedly valued at about $8 billion. The licenses include up to 14 MHz of paired spectrum and still need FCC approval. Low band… Read More: SpaceX and the Upper C-Band Spectrum Auction: A Test of… »
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations providing direct to device (D2D) services rely on terrestrial mobile spectrum to operate. This is only possible through an agreement with a mobile network operator, as regulated by national frameworks governing such services. This was the case until recently, when AST SpaceMobile and SpaceX acquired Mobile Satellite Spectrum (MSS)… Read More: Friend or Foe: Rethinking the Role of NTNs After the… »
The direct-to-device (D2D) satellite communication market is emerging as a highly competitive field, exemplified by the ongoing debates around out-of-band (OOB) power flux density (PFD) regulations. Satellite operators using terrestrial mobile spectrum as a secondary application must adhere to strict PFD limits, which impacts the performance capabilities of D2D services, with significant commercial implications for… Read More: Unpacking the PFD Debate: What It Means for SpaceX and… »
The satellite industry has adopted two primary approaches to connecting smartphones to satellites using 5G. The first approach utilizes MSS (Mobile Satellite Service) spectrum, as seen with the Globalstar-Apple collaboration. The second approach employs low-band terrestrial spectrum, such as the PCS band, which is being implemented by SpaceX and planned by startups like Lynk Global… Read More: Unlocking NTN Potential: The Strategic Use of Ka and Ku… »