SpaceX, owned by the Senior Advisor to the President of the United States, Elon Musk, is reportedly lobbying the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to block iPhone satellite provider Globalstar from rolling out its “C3” constellation. SpaceX has reportedly asked the FCC to deny Globalstar’s application, claiming that the proposed constellation, intended to enhance satellite features on upcoming iPhones, is “premature.”
The basis of SpaceX’s opposition stems from Globalstar’s intended use of the 1.6 GHz and 2.4 GHz radio spectrum bands. SpaceX has asserted that the FCC should contemplate opening these spectrum bands for use by all mobile satellite service providers before endorsing Globalstar’s application.
As a result of SpaceX’s request, the FCC is now considering opening these bands, making Globalstar’s application, from SpaceX’s standpoint, “premature.” Globalstar’s “C3” constellation is partly financed by a $1 billion investment from Apple and is planned to improve satellite credentials on future iPhones.
SpaceX’s statement regarding the obstruction of Globalstar’s satellite launch for iPhones
According to SpaceX’s letter to the FCC, SpaceX stated: “Doing so would be the fairest and most expeditious route to determine the appropriate regulatory regime to govern operations in a band that has not been examined in nearly 20 years.”
Reason of SpaceX seeks to prevent Globalstar’s launch
In an ongoing regulatory dispute between the company and SpaceX, the letter represents the latest development in the battle to control the 1.6GHz and 2.4GHz spectrum bands. Initially, Globalstar and Iridium held exclusive rights to the spectrum. However, SpaceX has advocated for shared access to improve its cellular Starlink system, which presently relies on T-Mobile’s 1.9GHz spectrum in the US market.
At the same time, Globalstar has contended that granting other companies access to the 1.6GHz and 2.4GHz bands might disrupt its satellite operations, which could impact iPhone connectivity. In a meeting with the FCC’s new Chairman Brendan Carr last month, the company’s attorneys stated, “There is no justification in the public interest for jeopardizing the spectrum environment that Globalstar depends on.”
In a recent letter to the FCC, SpaceX stated that allowing shared access to the radio spectrum “would provide the most consistent treatment, efficient sharing, and strong competition among Globalstar and other next-gen satellite systems—including SpaceX—that aim to effectively utilize this previously underused spectrum.”
SpaceX cited an earlier FCC ruling that limited the entry of new MSS into the 1.6/2.4GHz and 2GHz bands, arguing that Globalstar’s application ought to be rejected. It is crucial to highlight that the FCC can only exclude firms other than Globalstar and Iridium, and SpaceX’s petition was submitted before Globalstar’s application.
In the letter, SpaceX also said: “Accepting Globalstar’s application for its new, higher-power system in the band would also fundamentally alter the spectrum environment in the 1.6/2.4 GHz band to the detriment of prospective competitors, such as SpaceX, whose applications predated Globalstar’s application and who have expressed an interest in efficiently sharing the band alongside other operators.”
This follows the FCC’s approval of SpaceX’s waiver for “aggregate out-of-band emissions,” enabling its cellular Starlink system to function beyond typical radio limits under certain conditions.
