AT&T attempts to block Starlink/T-Mobile plan for satellite-phone service

Enlarge / A flag on the fifth green during the first round of the AT&T Byron Nelson Golf Tournament at TPC Craig Ranch on May 11, 2023 in McKinney, Texas. Getty Images | Mike Mulholland

AT&T and others are trying to block SpaceX/T-Mobile plan to bring Starlink satellite service directly to cell phones.

In a filing yesterday, AT&T urged the Federal Communications Commission to reject the SpaceX/T-Mobile proposal. "FCC rules do not authorize SpaceX's proposed use of T-Mobile's terrestrial spectrum, and the applicants do not even request - much less justify - the rule waivers that would be necessary to authorize their proposed authorizations to SCS [additional coverage from space],” AT&T said. .

AT&T has said it is interested in the procedure because it has a license to use adjacent spectrum in the PCS C block. AT&T says the SpaceX/T-Mobile plan, which was announced in August 2022, could “ impair or prevent the provision of terrestrial wireless services,” including mobile broadband.

SpaceX and T-Mobile's "technical submissions fall woefully short of the risk of harmful interference posed by their planned SCS deployments," AT&T told the FCC. "Apps from SpaceX and T-Mobile are far from the waiver threshold and cannot be granted in their current state."

The plan is for up to 7,500 satellites

Last month, the FCC sought comment on the application, noting that SpaceX had requested an amendment to its license for low-orbit earth satellites "to add direct-to-cellular communication capability on up to 7,500 Gen2 Starlink satellites". Links to consumer devices would be based on the 1910-1915 MHz (Earth-to-space) and 1990-1995 MHz (space-to-Earth) bands, also known as PCS G-Block, the FCC said.

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The FCC is partnering with satellite companies and wireless carriers to close the gaps in wireless networks. In action in March, the FCC proposed a new regulatory framework to help satellite operators and wireless companies "leverage the growth of space services to connect smartphone users in remote, unserved and underserved areas." served". But the FCC could still reject or require changes to the SpaceX/T-Mobile plan.

We reached out to SpaceX and T-Mobile today and will update this article if we get a response.

SpaceX recently said it plans to begin testing the satellite-to-cell system with T-Mobile sometime this year. Text messaging is expected to be the first service supported, with voice and internet coverage to be added later.

The rural wireless group has similar objections

The SpaceX/T-Mobile case also prompted responses yesterday from the Rural Wireless Association, a trade group for small rural wireless carriers, and Omnispace, which is partnering with Ligado on a satellite-to-phone system .

The RWA told the FCC that it is "concerned that the proposed operations by T-Mobile and SpaceX may cause adjacent channel interference to licensees' fixed and mobile network operations in the 1895-1910 bands. MHz and 1975-1990 MHz ('PCS C-Block') in rural and remote areas."

SpaceX told the FCC that its "direct-to-cellular system will operate without causing harmful interference or requiring protection from any other duly licensed service in these bands" and "will protect operations in adjacent bands from harmful interference" .

But according to the RWA, "SpaceX does not support this conclusion, nor does it propose to put in place safeguards to ensure there is no adjacent channel interference." SpaceX and T-Mobile have also...