The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted SpaceX permission on March 7 to boost power levels for its direct-to-smartphone satellite service. This upgrade will significantly improve connectivity in areas beyond the reach of standard cell towers across the United States. The FCC's decision allows SpaceX to increase power emissions in spectrum bands adjacent to its partner T-Mobile’s frequencies, but with a critical condition: no interference with existing networks. This approval follows the November decision permitting SpaceX to utilize T-Mobile's cellular frequencies on up to 7,500 Gen2 Starlink satellites for Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS).
Initially, the FCC delayed a decision on higher power levels, a necessary step to transition the service beyond basic SOS and texting to encompass real-time voice and video calls. Concerns were raised by competitors such as Verizon and AT&T, partnered with AST SpaceMobile, regarding potential interference with terrestrial mobile networks. SpaceX countered with technical data demonstrating that the increased power remained within acceptable interference limits, highlighting the service's importance for emergency communications and expanding coverage to underserved regions.
The FCC's ruling concluded that SpaceX's proposed power levels are justified and pose minimal risk of harmful interference. "The Commission determined that deployment of SCS will serve important public interest goals for the nation — expanding the reach of communications services, including emergency services, to more remote places," the FCC stated. SpaceX emphasized the approval's importance for the widespread deployment of SCS, underlining the necessity for faster, more reliable voice communications in remote areas. The service is currently in a free beta test phase for all U.S. carriers until July, after which a monthly fee will apply for some users.
Currently, approximately 500 of the over 7,000 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit are equipped for direct-to-smartphone capabilities.