{"id":17306,"date":"2023-03-16T21:46:54","date_gmt":"2023-03-16T13:46:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/fcc-plans-to-set-up-a-new-framework-for-connecting-satellites-with-smartphones\/"},"modified":"2023-03-16T21:46:54","modified_gmt":"2023-03-16T13:46:54","slug":"fcc-plans-to-set-up-a-new-framework-for-connecting-satellites-with-smartphones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/fcc-plans-to-set-up-a-new-framework-for-connecting-satellites-with-smartphones\/","title":{"rendered":"FCC plans to set up a new framework for connecting satellites with smartphones"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full-width\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/230316-lynk-630x354.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-759571\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/230316-lynk-630x354.jpg 630w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/230316-lynk-1260x709.jpg 1260w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/230316-lynk-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/230316-lynk-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/230316-lynk.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\"><figcaption data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lynk Global has demonstrated its satellite-to-smartphone network in Mongolia. (Lynk Global Illustration)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Federal Communications Commission plans to set up a new regulatory framework to facilitate hookups between satellite operators and wireless companies, with the objective of connecting smartphone users in remote or underserved areas of the world.<\/p>\n<p>The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, adopted today, follows up on a string of demonstrations and announcements related to satellite-cellular combinations. <\/p>\n<p>A Virginia-based company called Lynk Global has already shown that its satellite-to-smartphone system works, with the FCC\u2019s blessing. Another satellite venture called AST Spacemobile is setting up partnerships with telecom providers around the world. The heavyweights of the telecom industry are in on the idea as well: <\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>SpaceX and Bellevue, Wash.-based T-Mobile are partnering on a satellite-wireless system that\u2019s due for its initial tests this year.<\/li>\n<li>Apple has paired up with Globalstar on a satellite-based emergency alert feature for the latest generation of iPhones.<\/li>\n<li>Amazon\u2019s Project Kuiper is working with Verizon to boost wireless services with future satellite links. <\/li>\n<li>OneWeb is pursuing similar goals in partnership with AT&amp;T.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In a news release, the FCC said it\u2019s seeking to \u201cestablish clear and transparent processes to support supplemental coverage from space.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cConnecting consumers to essential wireless services where no terrestrial mobile service is available can be life-saving in remote locations and can open up innovative opportunities for consumers and businesses,\u201d the FCC said.<\/p>\n<p>The FCC said its framework would standardize the process through which satellite operators can obtain authorization to transmit data from space via currently licensed, flexible-use spectrum allocated to terrestrial services, in partnership with wireless service providers. <\/p>\n<p>Operators of broadband constellations in low to medium Earth orbit could apply to access terrestrial spectrum \u201cif certain prerequisites are met, including a lease from the terrestrial licensee within a specified geographic area,\u201d the FCC said. \u201cA satellite operator could then serve a wireless provider\u2019s customers should they need connectivity in remote areas, for example, in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert, Lake Michigan, the 100-Mile Wilderness or the Uinta Mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The FCC also plans to seek comment on how best to support access to emergency response systems like 9-1-1 through space-based satellite coverage. \u201cThe new proceeding will also seek to build a record on whether the framework can be extended to other bands, locations and applications,\u201d the FCC said.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement about today\u2019s action, FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel referred to a recent case involving a California couple who were found and rescued after a highway accident in a wilderness area, thanks to the satellite emergency alert feature on their iPhone.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"iPhone credited with helping rescue 2 crash victims in Angeles National Forest\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XjWoLhuumHE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWhat is so striking about this story is that it demonstrates how bringing satellite and terrestrial wireless capabilities together can accomplish what neither network can do on its own,\u201d Rosenworcel said. \u201cWe are starting to see direct satellite-to-smartphone communication move from sci-fi fantasy to real-world prospect.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She said the proposed regulatory framework would be part of a vision for next-generation telecommunications that she called \u201cthe Single Network Future.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can make mobile dead zones a thing of the past,\u201d Rosenworcel said. \u201cBut even better, we have an opportunity to bring our spectrum policies into the future and move past the binary choices between mobile spectrum on the one hand or satellite spectrum on the other. That means we can reshape the airwave access debates of old and develop new ways to get more out of our spectrum resources.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>GeekWire reached out to some of the ventures involved in satellite-cellular hybrid services, and some of the sources we contacted said it was just too early to comment on the FCC\u2019s proposal. It wasn\u2019t too early, however, for Charles Miller, Lynk Global\u2019s co-founder and CEO.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t think it changes anything for us, but it accelerates and smooths the path we are already on. It is not so good for some other companies,\u201d Miller said in an email. \u201cThe FCC wants to set up a broader framework and system for \u2018market access\u2019 in the U.S., based on what they have learned from Lynk. We convinced the FCC, and a lot of other people in the U.S. government, that \u2018sat2phone\u2019 is critical.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lynk Global has demonstrated its satellite-to-smartphone network in Mongolia. (Lynk Global Illustration) The Federal Communications Commission plans to set up a new regulatory framework to facilitate hookups between satellite operators and wireless companies, with the objective of connecting smartphone users in remote or underserved areas of the world. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, adopted today, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[4359,575,2619,277,1720,4360,4589,1277,962,20],"class_list":["post-17306","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-apple","tag-ast-spacemobile","tag-att","tag-fcc","tag-federal-communications-commission","tag-globalstar","tag-lynk","tag-oneweb","tag-project-kuiper","tag-satellite"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17306"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17306"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17306\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17306"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17306"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17306"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}