Title a spectrum band and there is a satellite tv for pc operator curious about it, commented Elizabeth Quintana, principal, house authorisation – coverage at Ofcom. “We positively reside in fascinating instances.”
Quintana was talking throughout a panel session on the latest NTN Integration Discussion board hosted by RCRTech, when she and different coverage consultants outlined their approaches to spectrum optimization amid rising telco and satco curiosity in non-terrestrial networks (NTN) and direct-to-device (D2D) companies.
Her remark highlights that there isn’t a such factor as a “quiet” band anymore. If a frequency band provides appropriate propagation or capability, somebody within the satellite tv for pc sector is already outlining a marketing strategy for it. For UK regulators, meaning staying open to experimentation whereas maintaining a tally of long-term competitors.
Additionally on the panel was Arpan Sura, a senior counsel to Federal Communications Fee (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr and chief AI officer. Different panelists included Julia Criado, head of division of spectrum planning and administration on the Ministry for Digital Transformation and of Civil Service in Spain, and Audrey Allison, senior coverage analyst, Middle for Area and Coverage Technique at The Aerospace Company.
The message from the panel was clear: D2D is forcing regulators to rethink their approaches to which entities can use which bands, from the place and beneath what guidelines. It’s blurring the road between conventional cell satellite tv for pc service (MSS) bands and terrestrial cell (IMT) bands, creating new regulatory challenges across the coexistence of companies, cross‑border coordination and licensing fashions for shared or repurposed spectrum.
Diff’lease strokes
The panel additionally highlighted variations between the assorted nationwide and regional methods. As an illustration, Spain is erring on the cautious aspect for now. Criado stated managed trials are being carried out specifically with Starlink on the two.6GHz terrestrial cell band, “and these trials enable us to higher perceive how the service works.”
The UK is taking a broadly pragmatic method. Quintana noticed that the nation has been “actually eager to allow non‑terrestrial networks to increase each our broadband and cell protection. We’re very lucky that now we have an excellent terrestrial laydown… however we had been one of many first nations to allow [NGSO FSS], and extra lately now we have enabled direct‑to‑system satellite tv for pc companies to assist complement cell within the UK, so that is direct‑to‑system utilizing IMT spectrum.”
In distinction, the US has adopted a extra aggressive stance, enabling D2D by way of a landmark 2024 framework that opens terrestrial bands to satellites, clarifies MSS rights, green-lights giant constellations and even probes the usage of core Wi‑Fi spectrum. As commented by Sura, it’s pursuing an “all‑of‑the‑above” spectrum technique.
On the similar time, he warned that strikes by the European Union to earmark two-thirds of the European 2GHz MSS spectrum might pressure the US to rethink its long-standing coverage of reciprocity and openness.
In the meantime, the ITU’s subsequent World Radiocommunication Convention (WRC) takes place in 2027. Allison has appreciable expertise with these landmark occasions, having served as committee and subcommittee chair at earlier WRCs.
She famous that present radio rules didn’t envisage a world the place spectrum allotted “to be used on the bottom” can be reused from house for mass‑market D2D. In essence, agenda merchandise 1.13 at WRC‑27 is successfully an effort to retrofit the foundations. It explores whether or not satellites needs to be allowed to attach on to strange cellphones utilizing the identical spectrum utilized by terrestrial cell networks.
The research covers 694/698MHz as much as 2.7GHz, or spectrum that’s already used or recognized for terrestrial 4G/5G cell companies. Round a dozen particular preparations are beneath research, and each considered one of them has incumbents: cell networks, radar, Earth exploration, aeronautical telemetry and extra.
But nonetheless disruptive NTN and D2D seem proper now, WRC‑27 is a part of a steady technique of adapting the foundations.
“The attractive factor about these radio rules is we incrementally change them each 4 years… We’re all the time tinkering with them, and we’ll preserve doing so sooner or later,” Allison stated.
