Ahead of an open commission meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2026, wireless carriers AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon have mounted a joint regulatory campaign urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to restrict its proposed Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) framework.
In regulatory filings and commissioner meetings coordinated through wireless association CTIA, the carriers are pressing the agency to exclude mid-band frequencies from satellite operations, marking an escalating battle over orbital spectrum that could impact SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile expansion.
Terrestrial Interference Concerns and 5G Network Protection
The carriers argue that permitting satellite constellations to transmit within mid-band frequencies introduces severe interference risks into terrestrial 5G infrastructure. CTIA cautioned that secondary orbital operations could degrade commercial mobile networks that support hundreds of millions of consumers, urging regulators to enforce stricter power flux density thresholds to prevent satellite downlinks from overpowering ground-based cell towers.
Spectrum Allocation Architecture and the 290 MHz Carve-Out
At the center of the dispute is an FCC proposal that would make 482 megahertz of spectrum available for space-based cellular services. The carriers are lobbying regulators to carve out 290 megahertz across the 2.5 GHz and 3.45 GHz mid-band allocations, removing roughly 60 percent of the proposed spectrum pool. While the carriers advocate preserving these frequencies exclusively for terrestrial buildouts, opening these mid-band airwaves to satellite operators would provide high-capacity transmission channels for direct-to-cell constellations.
Consortium Alignment and Non-Terrestrial Competition
The joint lobbying effort reflects growing coordination among traditional telecom operators facing orbital competition. The push follows a milestone earlier this month when AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon formed a joint venture to standardize satellite direct-to-device connectivity as an open-access neutral layer. The carriers’ opposition also arrives weeks after the FCC approved SpaceX for a 15,000-satellite Very Low Earth Orbit direct-to-device constellation, heightening carrier urgency to protect core licensed airwaves.
Commission Vote Horizon and Regulatory Outcomes
The full commission will vote on the proposed SCS rules during its October 29 open meeting, deciding whether to maintain the 482 megahertz allocation, adopt power limits, or excise the contested mid-band blocks to balance satellite coverage against terrestrial 5G protection.
