The Federal Communications Commission is preparing three spectrum actions aimed at expanding direct-to-device satellite connectivity, opening additional mid-band spectrum for flexible terrestrial and satellite use, and removing restrictions on cellular connectivity for drones. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the proposals on October 7, with Commission votes scheduled for the FCC’s October 29 Open Meeting.

The most significant proposal for emerging terrestrial/non-terrestrial network architectures would revisit the FCC’s Supplemental Coverage from Space framework. The proposed Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would seek comment on making another 482 MHz of licensed spectrum available for SCS and on regulatory changes intended to support more flexible arrangements among terrestrial mobile operators, satellite operators and hybrid service providers.

A separate NPRM would propose auctioning 25 MHz across the 1675–1695 MHz and 2020–2025 MHz bands. Rather than prescribing a single network architecture, the FCC proposes flexible use that could support conventional terrestrial wireless networks, direct-to-device satellite operations or hybrid combinations of the two. The Commission will also consider final rules eliminating a restriction on drone operations in the 800 MHz Cellular band, potentially opening 50 MHz of nationwide licensed low-band spectrum to airborne devices.

Carr said the actions are intended to expand spectrum availability across terrestrial wireless, satellite connectivity and drones. He said the direct-to-device proposals are intended to reduce cellular dead zones and enable service directly from next-generation satellite constellations to smartphones.

The proposals arrive as the FCC is also advancing SpaceX’s next-generation direct-to-cell architecture. The FCC recently approved EchoStar spectrum transfers to SpaceX covering approximately 65 MHz of AWS-3, AWS-4 and H-Block spectrum. SpaceX plans to use those holdings for next-generation direct-to-device services. The company has also sought authority for a new NGSO D2D constellation of up to 15,000 satellites.

Analysis

The October proposals point toward a broader change in how the FCC is approaching the boundary between terrestrial mobile and satellite spectrum. The original SCS model largely treated satellite connectivity as supplemental coverage operating through partnerships with terrestrial license holders. Expanding the eligible spectrum pool by another 482 MHz while considering more flexible terrestrial, satellite and hybrid business arrangements could move D2D toward a more deeply integrated component of mobile network architecture.

The proposed 1675–1695 MHz and 2020–2025 MHz auction is particularly notable because the FCC is not proposing to reserve the spectrum exclusively for either terrestrial mobile or satellite service. A flexible-use framework could allow spectrum economics and network deployment strategies to determine whether individual licenses ultimately support terrestrial capacity, D2D coverage or integrated terrestrial/non-terrestrial networks.

The drone action addresses a different but related convergence. Cellular networks were designed primarily around devices operating near ground level, and airborne terminals create different propagation, interference and cell-selection conditions. Removing the 800 MHz restriction would move one important low-band spectrum resource toward broader flexible use.

Together, the proceedings illustrate an emerging spectrum model in which terrestrial base stations, LEO satellites and airborne devices increasingly share common mobile-network technologies and, potentially, common spectrum frameworks. The technical challenge will be maintaining interference protection and predictable network performance while allowing substantially more flexibility in where transmitters and receivers operate.