IRIDIUM RELEASE 17: New NTN Direct Non-Terrestrial Network)
TAMPA, Fla. — The Federal Communications Commission voted Sept. 26 to open up more spectrum to Starlink and other non-geostationary satellite (NGSO) operators to improve broadband speeds in the United States.
Release 17 is slated to be finalized in the fourth quarter of 2025
The regulator unanimously voted to give NGSO operators access to frequencies in the 17.3-17.7 gigahertz band for satellite communications provided to fixed points on Earth, such as a stationary residential antenna.
As a cloud-based service powered by the flexibility of our software-defined satellites and building upon recognized industry standards, Iridium been able to jump off to a super-fast start.
The approval paves the way for trials and demonstrations showing how devices using industry-standard chips could use the operator’s network in low Earth orbit (LEO) for messaging and SOS services outside cellular coverage.
Some manufacturers may want to produce integrated chips before the 3GPP’s next round of standards now that it is one of the formal items for inclusion in Release 17, Iridium spokesperson Jordan Hassin said via email. Before pivoting to Project Stardust, Iridium had planned to deploy proprietary direct-to-device services for Android devices in partnership with chipmaker Qualcomm.
However, Qualcomm scrapped plans to make specialized chips for the constellation last year after failing to get manufacturers of smartphones and other devices onboard.
“We’re already well into our technology development, and we’re excited about our progress and to see so much enthusiasm from the 3GPP community,” Iridium chief technology officer Greg Pelton said in a statement.
TAMPA, Fla. — The Federal Communications Commission voted Sept. 26 to open up more spectrum to Starlink and other non-geostationary satellite (NGSO) operators to improve broadband speeds in the United States. The regulator unanimously voted to give NGSO operators access to frequencies in the 17.3-17.7 gigahertz band for satellite communications provided to fixed points on Earth, such as a stationary residential antenna.
Artist’s impression of a large LEO satellite constellation circling above the Low-Frequency Array telescope near Exloo, Netherlands. Credit: Danielle Futselaar/International Astronomical Union .
The decision provides 1300 megahertz of contiguous spectrum in the 17 GHz band for NGSO fixed-satellite service (FSS) operators, which they must share with geostationary peers while abiding by power limits and other conditions.
“This action promotes spectrum efficiency, fosters competition, and expands the ability of satellite operators to deploy advanced services, including high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved areas,” the FCC said in a news release.
Geostationary satellite operators EchoStar and DirectTV had argued that NGSO operators should only get access to the spectrum on a secondary basis to avoid interference.
Following a public comment process after proposing the rules two years ago, the FCC ruled that NGSO FSS downlinks in the 17 GHz band are compatible with incumbent GEO services on a co-primary basis.
However, the regulator detailed in a public draft of the order that NGSO FSS downlinks in the 17.7-17.8 GHz band could not claim similar interference protections from existing and future terrestrial fixed service operations.
The FCC said the new rules are aligned with treaty-level agreements from the most recent World Radiocommunication Conference, a United Nations-run event where regulators seek to coordinate the use of radio waves globally.
Artist’s impression of a large LEO satellite constellation circling above the Low-Frequency Array telescope near Exloo, Netherlands. Credit: Danielle Futselaar/International Astronomical Union
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