- FCC eased restrictions on low-orbit satellites
- This equates to a 7x increase in capacity for internet satellites
- This decision is welcomed by SpaceX and Amazon
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has delivered good news to Elon Musk’s Starlink and other satellite internet providers, removing several key restrictions on the amount of power satellites can transmit and receive from ground stations.
Technically, these are the Equivalent Power Flux Density (EPFD) rules established in the 1990s, as PC Mag reports. In simple terms, this means that Starlink and others will be able to leverage a much denser network of satellites to provide services to customers.
We’re talking about a seven-fold increase in satellite network capacity, which should mean a more reliable and faster connection. However, it will be some time before satellite companies can take advantage of this.
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“This is a major step toward improving the satellite broadband experience for millions of Americans by enabling faster speeds, lower costs, and greater reliability,” the FCC says. “This change could also unlock more than $2 billion in economic benefits for the American people and up to seven times more capacity for space-based broadband services.”
Spectrum sharing
@BrendanCarrFCC @FCC’s rule change for next-generation satellite systems will provide help to those who need it most. Exactly. Huge! 📡🛜April 30, 2026
The rules were introduced to prevent radio signal interference between satellites in non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) – also known as low Earth orbit – from affecting geostationary satellites (GSO) higher in orbit. Now the NGSO and GSO satellites will be able to share more of the communications spectrum.
It’s a move that has been welcomed by David Goldman of Starlink, as well as Brian Huseman, vice president of Amazon – another company looking to build a network of internet-providing satellites with Amazon Leo.
As Gizmodo reports, Viasat is one of the GSO satellite companies that has warned that the move could potentially lead to more interference without proper regulation. Viasat also raised concerns about Starlink’s monopoly in this particular market.
The FCC believes that modern satellites are designed to share spectrum more efficiently than in the past and that the rules from the 1990s no longer apply. SpaceX-owned Starlink will no doubt be eager to launch its next batch of satellites.
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