FCC Opens Review of SpaceX Bid for Nationwide 800 MHz Spectrum

The Federal Communications Commission has accepted for filing applications for SpaceX to take control of a nationwide portfolio of 800 MHz spectrum licenses from Grain Management, opening a formal review of the proposed transaction.

The November 10 public notice covers 546 paired licenses held by Grain affiliates. The licenses include up to 14 megahertz of paired low-band spectrum across areas covering approximately the entire U.S. population, according to the FCC notice.

Acceptance for filing is not final approval. The FCC said its initial review found the applications acceptable for filing, but reserved the right to return them if further examination finds problems. Public comments and petitions are due December 1, with oppositions due December 8.

The proposed transfer would put the license-holding companies under Starlink Spectrum Holdings, a wholly owned SpaceX subsidiary. The applications were filed in October.

A separate SpaceX request to add supplemental satellite coverage using the 800 MHz frequencies remains pending, the notice says. The filing milestone does not mean a new nationwide mobile service has launched or that customers can use these frequencies today.

Source: FCC