On Sept. 30, the FCC will vote on a draft package that would hand satellite operators another 1,050 MHz of spectrum while teeing up two follow-on proceedings to open even more. It puts 550 MHz of Ku-band spectrum at 12.7-13.25 GHz into play for non-geostationary (NGSO) satellites transmitting to user terminals, plus 500 MHz of V-band at 42-42.5 GHz for gateways. SpaceX helped make the case, telling the FCC the Ku-band addition would boost downlink throughput by about 25%.
 
This is not another C-band auction. The ORBIT Act bars the FCC from auctioning spectrum used for international satellite services, so NGSO operators will sort out access through processing rounds.
 
NGSO operators such as SpaceX and Amazon Leo get a 2,550 MHz contiguous downlink path from 10.7 to 13.25 GHz. Their user terminals must accept interference from gateways, aircraft and ships transmitting in the band, plus existing TV, cable and microwave links until about 2036.
 
Geostationary (GSO) operators such as SES win something they have sought for years: the right to uplink U.S. traffic in 12.75-13.25 GHz from gateways, aircraft and ships. But they lose the fight to box out NGSO downlinks.
 
At 42 GHz, the FCC keeps the guest list short: individually licensed gateways and feeder-link sites only, no user terminals. Wireless carriers mostly struck out, losing CTIA's bid to hold 12.7 GHz as a relocation band.
 
Read the full Industry Insight for a complete walkthrough of the FCC's spectrum package, from the new sharing rules to the cost-benefit analysis behind them.