Despite some limitations, the US Federal Telecommunications Authority has authorized SpaceX to provide mobile connectivity services via its Starlink constellation
SpaceX has the green light to provide direct cellular connectivity service via its Starlink satellite constellation . After the consultation requested last March, the FCC has granted authorization to SpaceX. But only for the 7,500 second-generation satellites (Starlink Gen2) already authorized for launch.
The FCC Accepted SpaceX request
The FCC has also accepted SpaceX’s request to be able to operate these satellites even below 400 km altitude. from 340 km to 360 km, but only after coordination with NASA to ensure the absence of risks for the International Space Station and the transport activities to and from it.
The satellites, furthermore, will have to suspend all transmission activity in the event that interference with ground or fixed satellite services is detected
SpaceX will be able to use the 1910-1915 MHz frequency bands for communications from Earth to space and 1990-1995 MHz in the opposite direction in the United States. Starlink will be able to provide satellite cellular services in areas that do not already have terrestrial coverage.
Outside the United States, SpaceX will be able to use frequencies in the 1429-2690 MHz band subject to approval from the authorities of the countries where it wants to launch Starlink services.
The FCC has not approved other requests from SpaceX. In particular, the decision to approve the expansion of the constellation with an additional 22,488 Gen2 satellites ,some of which should operate below 400 km altitude, has been postponed.
The request to be able to exceed the limits set by the regulation for emissions outside the transmission band has also been denied. SpaceX claims that with these limits it will not be possible to guarantee stable and quality telephone calls via Starlink. SpaceX aims to launch the service in 2025.
Starlink Services in Different Countries
Currently, of the approximately 2,600 Starlink Gen2 satellites in orbit, just over 300 support the connection with mobile phones. To date, SpaceX has agreements to launch the service with T-Mobile in the USA.Optus in Australia, Rogers in Canada, One NZ in New Zealand, KDDI in Japan, Salt in Switzerland, Entel in Chile and Peru.