SpaceX and T-Mobile have partnered to provide satellite connectivity to users in the US before the end of the year, but four companies believe the launch of the service will harm their operations.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) expects that satellite operators will use Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) in the future to cover areas not covered by terrestrial service providers, thus ensuring ubiquitous connectivity.
SCS is considered subordinate to the terrestrial mobile service and satellite operators must ensure that SCS deployment does not impact mobile broadband networks.
SpaceX had previously asked the FCC for an exemption from the power flux density (PFD) limits for aggregated out-of-band emissions (OOBE), proposing a ninefold increase over the current limit.
T-Mobile and SpaceX representatives met with FCC staff on August 8 to push for immediate approval to launch additional coverage from space in the United States. T-MobilePCS G Block spectrum. It was argued that as a mobile operator, T-Mobile has a strong interest in ensuring that out-of-band emissions (OOBE) do not cause harmful disruption to network operations and is confident that the changes proposed by SpaceX will not result in such disruption.
The two stressed that the FCC's PFD limit on out-of-band emissions is “an order of magnitude more restrictive than necessary to protect terrestrial operations near the PCS G-Block.” They claim that implementing band-specific out-of-band limits “would maximize the value of the additional coverage for consumers and first responders.”
T-Mobile and SpaceX accused their competitors of making misleading claims to delay the commercial launch, saying they were nothing more than “last-minute attempts to
block a more progressive partnership on supplementary insurance.”
AT&T claims SpaceX has not demonstrated that a lower cap would not cause disruption to terrestrial cellular operations. According to AT&T's analysis, SpaceX's proposal would result in an 18 percent reduction in network downlink throughput and degrade the user experience. The company says SpaceX's proposal did not take real-world factors into account.
Verizon has also opposed SpaceX's calls for a loosened out-of-band PFD, arguing that a new cap will not protect terrestrial services from SCS operations. EchoStar also submitted a proposal, saying a weaker overall cap would harm its 5G cellular network.
Traditional service providers are not the only ones standing in the way T-Mobile and SpaceX's direct-to-cell service. Satellite operator Omnispace has asked the FCC to deny SpaceX's request to allow non-compliant mobile satellite service (MSS) downlinks in the MSS uplink spectrum, arguing that it would interfere with its operational satellites.