The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently approved new rules designed to unlock a seven-fold capacity boost for satellite broadband services. This move would in turn benefit SpaceX’s Starlink service.
A unanimous vote by the FCC’s three commissioners ends a regulatory framework dating back to the late 1990s which limited the amount of energy satellite systems could transmit to and from ground equipment.
The FCC’s report and order replaces the Equivalent Power Flux Density (EPFD) framework with modern, performance-based GSO protection criteria which considers improved spectrum sharing possibilities in today’s modern satellite technologies, including the use of adaptive coding and modulation (ACM).
The FCC stated the new framework gets rid of mandatory EPFD caps with voluntary, private coordination agreements between NGSO and GSO operators.
Change could deliver more than $2 billion in economic benefits and up to seven times more usable capacity, potentially without launching a single additional satellite, FCC estimated.
“Even though high-speed, next-generation satellite services provide essential connectivity across the country already, Americans are now about to see another big upgrade”, FCC chair Brendan Carr stated.
The ruling is the culmination of a lobbying effort led primarily by SpaceX, which argued EPFD limits were artificially throttling Starlink speeds.
The FCC granted SpaceX a partial EPFD waiver for its second-generation satellites in January 2026. Amazon Kuiper, now called Amazon LEO, received a similar waiver in February.
SpaceX’s David Goldman, VP for satellite policy, applauded the FCC’s vote on X. “FCC’s rule change for next-generation satellite systems will bring help to those who need it most. Exactly. Huge!”
While the Starlink service has proven effective for providing broadband services in remote or rural areas, Carr noted in his comments satellite-based services could compete against traditional service providers under the new guidelines.
“Wireless carriers are now competing for in-home subscribers”, he stated. “Cable companies are competing for wireless customers. And satellite is competing with both cable and wireless”. He continued: “Today’s FCC decision will help supercharge that competition while expanding our country’s technological leadership”.
Source: Mobile World Live
Image Credit: Stock Image
