A high-stakes regulatory battle over the future of satellite broadband intensified this week as SpaceX and incumbent geostationary (GSO) operators, including SES and Viasat, traded sharp filings at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The dispute centers on whether to modernize decades-old Equivalent Power Flux Density (EPFD) limits—international standards designed to prevent Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites from interfering with legacy GSO networks.
In a filing submitted the week of March 16, 2026, SpaceX argued that the current framework “shackles next-generation satellite operations” and protects “outdated GSO systems” at the expense of millions of broadband consumers. Conversely, Viasat characterized SpaceX’s push for higher power levels as “bad science,” warning that relaxing these protections would generate unacceptable interference and further entrench SpaceX’s dominant market position.
The EPFD Framework: A Technical Bottleneck
The EPFD limits, established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in the late 1990s, act as a “speed limit” for how loudly LEO satellites can broadcast in frequency bands shared with GSO satellites. SpaceX contends these limits are based on obsolete computer models that do not account for modern beamforming and interference-mitigation technologies.
On January 9, 2026, the FCC granted SpaceX a “time-limited waiver” to exceed these limits for its Starlink Gen2 constellation within the United States. While this was a major victory for SpaceX, the waiver is contingent on the outcome of a formal FCC rulemaking process initiated in April 2025. Incumbents like SES have proposed a “periodic implementation process” as a compromise, which would involve regular check-ins and data-driven adjustments rather than a complete dismantling of the EPFD rules.
Interference Concerns and Market Competition
Incumbent operators fear that allowing 10,000+ Starlink satellites to “shout” at higher power levels will raise the noise floor, degrading the quality of service for satellite TV and fixed-data links. In a Senate hearing on March 17, 2026, Michael Calabrese, head of New America’s Wireless Future Project, testified that modernizing these rules is essential for U.S. leadership, but warned that the transition must be managed to avoid “weaponized compliance” battles.
“The question of whether the EPFD framework harms consumers by unnecessarily constraining LEO services has been definitively resolved: it does,” SpaceX stated in its latest filing. “The current framework overprotects GSO systems while relegating those who need superior next-generation service to second-class status.”
Rationale: The High Cost of the Status Quo
For SpaceX, the rationale for higher power is simple: capacity. Operating at higher power flux density (PFD) allows for higher-order modulation and symmetrical gigabit speeds, essential for competing with terrestrial fiber. For GSO operators, the rationale is survival; their business models depend on a “clear sky” policy that prevents LEO systems from encroaching on their established spectrum rights.
Outlook: The Road to WRC-27
The domestic battle at the FCC is a precursor to the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-27) in Shanghai. While the EPFD issue is not currently a formal agenda item for WRC-27, industry experts believe a “focused U.S. effort” could force the issue onto the international stage.
The primary risk in 2026 remains the “kill switch” clause in SpaceX’s current waiver, which requires the company to cease operations immediately if harmful interference is proven. Analysts expect competitors to weaponize this clause, using high-resolution spectrum analyzers to log even millisecond-long noise spikes in an attempt to trigger a regulatory shutdown of the Gen2 network.
