Policy
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has dropped 3 proposals ahead of the FCC’s October 29 meeting.
By Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr announced a set of proposals Wednesday intended to expand wireless connectivity across terrestrial networks, satellite systems, and commercial drones.
The three proposals, scheduled for a vote at the agency’s Oct. 29 meeting, outline plans to auction 25 megahertz of mid-band spectrum, update direct-to-device rules to eliminate cellular dead zones, and lift restrictions preventing drone operations in the 800 MHz band. The announcement follows a decision by the FCC Space Bureau authorizing SpaceX to operate a 15,000-satellite direct-to-cell system.
“Thanks to President Trump, America’s wireless leadership is back,” Carr said in a statement. “Across the board, speeds are up, prices are down, and competition is increasing. Today’s transformational proposals look to build on these wins—utilizing next-gen technologies to streamline fast and ubiquitous connectivity for terrestrial wireless services, innovative direct-to-device connectivity, and consumer drones.”
If approved, the measures will make an additional 482 megahertz of spectrum available for satellite-to-phone coverage and open 50 megahertz of low-band spectrum for nationwide drone commercial and defense use.
Some AI tools were used in the crafting of this report.
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