SpaceX Starlink live “in next few months”
June 8, 2020
By Chris Forrester
In a filing made to the FCC, SpaceX said that its Starlink service would help bridge the digital divide using the 12 GHz satellite frequency band (Ku-band). The filing was made in a response to a filing made on May 26th by the Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) which argued that the 12 GHz band should not be used by SpaceX.
SpaceX in its June 4th letter said: “Proceeding with any proposal that would undermine current and future satellite use of the 12 GHz Band would place at risk the achievements in this band and impede the deployment of critical broadband services for consumers, including in the most rural and remote areas of the country.”
“To meet this goal, SpaceX strongly supports the FCCs ongoing efforts to close the digital divide using whatever technology best suits consumer needs, including 5G. One essential part of serving all Americans – no matter where they live – is powerful next-generation satellite services that can reach all corners of the country. The 12 GHz Band is an essential component to delivering high-throughput, low-latency downlink connections to consumers from these next-generation satellite systems,” SpaceX stated.
“Unfortunately, [the CCA May 26th Letter) overlooks the benefits these satellite services will bring to consumers, beginning in just the next few months. SpaceX is poised to initiate consumer service this year across the United States using the 12 GHz Band,” SpaceX told the FCC.