Europe Pushes Back Against SpaceX's Efforts to Expand Starlink Direct-to-Cell Operations

European mobile network operators are opposing SpaceX's initiative to expand Starlink Direct-to-Cell services, urging the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reject SpaceX's request to operate beyond standard radio frequency limits. The group cites concerns over potential interference with terrestrial networks.

European Operators Urge FCC to Reject SpaceX's Request for Relaxed Starlink Radio Frequency Limits

Europe opposes SpaceX's initiative to enhance Starlink Cellular (Starlink Direct-to-Cell) by operating beyond conventional radio frequency parameters, per Teslarati.

Several European phone network operators and service providers wrote to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to discourage the regulatory agency from supporting any requests to relax “safeguards to protect licensed terrestrial mobile network operators and their users from harmful interference.”

“In particular, the FCC must reject any effort to relax its aggregate Out-of-Band-Emission (“OOBE”) limit of -120 dBW/m2 /MHz (the “-120 limit”). The -120 limit represents the bare minimum level of protection that mobile network operators require from spurious emissions – in low-band (<1 GHz) and mid-band (1-2 GHz) spectrum – if they are to have any assurance that they can continue to deliver the terrestrial service levels committed to in each market,” said the group of European mobile network operators and service providers,” the European operators wrote in their letter to the FCC.

European Operators Cite ITU Regulations as SpaceX Challenges Limits on Low-Orbit Starlink Satellites

The European group substantiates its argument by referencing the ITU radio regulations of the International Telecommunications Union. New-generation, non-geostationary satellites such as Starlink are subject to a limit set by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a United Nations agency. The ITU limit guarantees that low-orbit satellite transmissions do not disrupt the operation of classic geostationary satellites.

Elon Musk has opposed the ITU's restriction on low-orbit satellites and criticized the FCC for adhering to "antiquated" regulations. In July, SpaceX initiated Starlink experiments in Romania to demonstrate that operating Starlink beyond the ITU's limit will not interfere with classic, geostationary satellites.

SpaceX submitted a waiver to the FCC over the summer, requesting that Starlink be permitted to operate beyond the standard radio frequency parameters. In response to SpaceX's waiver, AT&T and Verizon requested that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) deny the company's request.