Spectrum I: Mobile Bands, Satellite Bands and the US Rules
Which frequencies can direct-to-device use, who decides, and why are interference fights central to the business?
Chapter summary
D2D uses either mobile operators' terrestrial bands, leased to the satellite operator, or dedicated mobile satellite service (MSS) bands.
Key takeaways
- 1
In the United States the FCC created a "supplemental coverage from space" (SCS) framework in March 2024 that lets a satellite operator use a terrestrial operator's spectrum under a lease, within power limits designed to protect neighbouring networks.
- 2
SpaceX's first-generation service with T-Mobile was approved in November 2024, and a waiver in 2025 allowed out-of-band emissions up to −110.6 dBW/m²/MHz instead of the −120 dBW/m²/MHz default, over objections from AT&T, Verizon and EchoStar.
- 3
SpaceX's purchase of EchoStar's AWS-4 and H-block spectrum and the October 2026 approval of its 15,000-satellite system, with a waiver of the terrestrial-lease requirement, move it from renting spectrum to owning it.
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Standards: How 3GPP Brought Satellites into Mobile
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