The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has requested SpaceX to provide additional information regarding their new services to ensure there will be no interference with existing terrestrial mobile networks. The FCC sent a list of questions as part of the ongoing review for approving SpaceX’s direct-to-mobile service in specific spectrum bands.

One of the main concerns is the potential interference with terrestrial mobile networks, especially in areas where T-Mobile operates on the same bands. To address this, SpaceX has been asked to conduct an interference analysis and provide a map showing the projected beam coverage for the United States.

The FCC is also seeking more details on how SpaceX would deactivate satellites if they were found to be causing interference with terrestrial services, as well as the impact of this deactivation on customers in neighboring areas. The FCC is particularly interested in understanding how the cessation of service in certain areas would affect adjacent unserved or underserved areas and how SpaceX would prevent operation of a handset outside the service area.

SpaceX’s application for its Starlink constellation, which aims to provide commercial direct-to-mobile services, has been under review since February. The company has been pushing for quick approvals and plans to launch the new services as early as next year, starting with text messaging and expanding to voice and internet services in 2025.

However, SpaceX has faced opposition from competitors such as DISH and AT&T, who argue that the company is not following the correct regulatory procedures and is attempting to fast-track its service to commercialization.

(source: original article)