The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has, as expected, approved the establishmemnt of a new super-fast satellite licensing scheme which is designed to help non-geostationary satellite applications. It has also confirmed it will go ahead with a C-Band auction of spectrum in 2027.

The FCC will adopt a new Part 100 licensing framework to replace the legacy Part 25 satellite rules. According to the FCC, the new framework is designed to streamline satellite licensing by reducing review timelines from years to months or even weeks, creating what it describes as a “licensing assembly line” for commercial space.

The reforms are intended to support non-GSO satellite constellations as they replenish, expand, and upgrade their fleets.

While the FCC announcement does not mention specific companies, the new framework is relevant to non-GSO operators such as AST SpaceMobile as the industry continues to scale.

Separately, the FCC also approved clearing an additional 160 MHz of C-band spectrum for a 2027 wireless auction. This will be a major action and in the process raise “billions” for the US Treasury, said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.

During its open meeting on July 22nd, when the FCC’s Report & Order was adopted, Carr said that the agency is now “on track to complete an auction in less than twelve months from now”.

Car highlighted that with the Lower C-Band, which the FCC freed up in 2020, and the added Upper C-Band, the spectrum has been unified to create an “enormous landmass of 440 megahertz of mid-band spectrum”.

The auction will see SES, Eutelsat and Telesat receive compensation for their agreement in releasing the C-Band spectrum.

The FCC also stressed that the auction is on track to close by the statutory deadline of July 2027, and the FCC’s new rules ensure that the Upper C-Band can be lit up for most Americans before the end of 2030 — faster than originally expected.

The 2027 Upper C-Band auction will make available 160 megahertz of valuable mid-band spectrum through the auction of 3,248 new flexible-use spectrum licences throughout the contiguous United States. The rules allow winning bidders to commence wireless services in the Upper C-Band starting in December 2030 for the top-75 markets in the contiguous United States, and in any remaining markets starting July 2031.

Other posts by :

1. AST SpaceMobile gets permission for giant factory
2. Questions over AST SpaceMobile’s spending plans
3. Bank: AST SpaceMobile is favoured
4. Amazon Leo gains South Africa link
5. Eutelsat wants an extra 528 satellites
6. FCC approves orbital space mirrors
7. Analysts: “Unknown Unknowns for SpaceX”
8. Ligado’s bankruptcy clean-up continues
9. Arianespace to offer ‘rideshare’ launches

Categories: Articles, Business, Policy, Regulation, Spectrum

Tags: Brendan Carr, C-band, FCC, spectrum