LEO Satellite Technology Should Be in All Schools, Gigabit Libraries Network Says : Broadband Breakfast

July 13, 2021 - A battle rages in the heart of the atmosphere. And no, it's not the current heat wave. It is the wireless radio frequencies known as the 12 GigaHertz (GHz) spectrum.

On Wednesday, July 14th, 2021, take part in the broadband breakfast live online event "Spectrum for 5G, LEOs and the Future of the 12 GigaHertz (GHz) Band". You can also PARTICIPATE in the current Broadband Breakfast Live Online Event. REGISTER HERE.

The 12 GHz band is the name commonly used to identify a 500 megahertz frequency strip that spans the lower end of the so-called K band between 12.2 GHz and 12.7 GHz.

The tape was mainly used for downlink satellite communications - most notably by the International Space Station SpaceX and Dish. But now the band has become a focal point in the debate on 5G services versus satellite technologies.

Proponents of frequency sharing believe that now is the time to open up 12 GHz to more intense broadband usage. However, some satellite services are very much against it. And the Federal Communications Commission is currently reviewing the arguments.

Spectrum sharing: does it also work with satellite services?

The spectrum policy uses two main methods of allocating bandwidth. A tape can be either shared or exclusive.

Some companies want the 12 GHz band to be opened up for greater sharing. Others want it to be limited for exclusive use.

Bands can also be either licensed or unlicensed, but the terms are not mutually exclusive. Communication companies often reject shared uses. These companies prefer an exclusive rights model where they view the airwaves from the perspective of a property owner with complete control of their domain.

A notable exception is Dish Wireless.

Dish's direct broadcast satellite service has been the main provider in the 12 GHz band for years. Dish officials said they welcome the improved competition, believing that sharing the 12 GHz band would be worthwhile as companies continue to expand their 5G networks.

A fight of the billionaires

It's also important to put Dish's reasoning in a broader context. Billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Richard Branson are involved in a war to establish the primacy of the satellite internet market. SpaceX's Starlink, Amazon's Project Kuiper, and Virgin's Virgin Orbit are all trying to break into their own satellite Internet market.

The 12 GHz band represents important real estate that they could use to improve their coverage.

In response to Dish's comments to the FCC, SpaceX argued on July 7th that Dish's sharing model would disrupt established satellite services - a claim Dish has denied in the past.

SpaceX accused Dish of having amassed "the world's largest unused spectrum warehouse" and accused them of only fulfilling empty promises. The response also states that Dish is trying to remove the operation of next-generation satellites from the 12 GHz band - which would not be a requirement for spectrum sharing.

OneWeb and RS Access also play a role

"The loudest proponents of introducing terrestrial cellular devices into the 12 GHz band are a handful of parties whose business plans have proven unsuccessful for nearly two decades, led by two who now see an opportunity for financial godsend," said Eric Graham, Director of Government and Regulatory Engagement at OneWeb, a satellite broadband provider, on Dish and RS Access.

“Arguments that support the introduction of terrestrial cellular radio allocation in a frequency band with comparatively poor terrestrial propagation characteristics ignore the fact that such an allocation would only benefit consumers who currently have many terrestrial cellular radio options in the areas in which they live, work and play, ”said Graham.

However, in an ex parte filing with the FCC in March 2021, RS Access slammed some of the satellite companies, including SpaceX, stating that Musk's company is only seeking “maximum flexibility for itself, regardless of the pressures or disadvantages for others Operator".

Eric Graham from OneWeb, V. Noah Campbell from RS Access, Jeffrey Blum from DISH

The filing also indicated that the 500 megahertz is only worth three percent of SpaceX's more than 15 gigahertz for exclusive use. RS Access claimed that improving flexibility "is not a zero-sum choice between satellite and terrestrial operations". He pointed out that there are few other options for viable mid-band frequencies for license-flexible use and that new innovations are making sharing more efficient.

Duel series of facts and technical data

As early as December 2020, Chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies Inc. Michael Dell appealed to the FCC commissioner Nathan Simington advocate the use of open radio access networks in domestic 5G networks, their benefits for bridging the digital divide and the opening of the 12 GHz band for 5G use.

The decision to open the 12 GHz band may depend on specs: Whether Dish and its allies can provide data that will convince the FCC that opening the band to greater sharing will not affect established usage .

SpaceX and other companies that would prefer to keep it closed are likely to have to demonstrate how their services are being irreversibly affected by other airlines operating within the band.

Take part in the live online event "Spectrum for 5G, LEOs and the Future of the 12 GigaHertz (GHz) Band" on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Panelists include Eric Graham of OneWeb, V. Noah Campbell of RS Access, and Jeffrey Blum of DISH. You can also PARTICIPATE in the current broadband breakfast live online event. REGISTER HERE.

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