What the FCC Is Proposing
On July 15, 2026, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr announced a new Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that could fundamentally alter the boundary between terrestrial wireless and satellite communications. The proposal would open more than 225 megahertz of unlicensed spectrum — currently used by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, IoT sensors, and other Part 15 devices — for direct communication with FCC-authorized satellites.
The draft NPRM targets three heavily-used Part 15 bands:
The proposal would add mobile-satellite service (MSS) Earth-to-space allocations in all three bands while retaining existing Part 15 power ceilings — generally up to 36 dBm (4 watts EIRP). Notably, the FCC is also exploring whether Part 15 devices could operate onboard spacecraft, including between satellites and for extravehicular communications.
💡 Why This Matters for RF Engineers
This proposal creates a second regulatory path for direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity alongside the FCC's existing Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) framework. While SCS lets satellites reuse licensed terrestrial spectrum through carrier partnerships, the new approach would let any Part 15-compliant device — from a $2 IoT sensor to a Wi-Fi router — potentially communicate with authorized satellites. For RF engineers, this means new antenna designs, RF front-end architectures, and coexistence challenges across three frequency bands.
The $40 Billion D2D Gold Rush
The FCC's proposal arrives amid an unprecedented wave of private investment in direct-to-device spectrum. According to the Commission, more than $40 billion has flowed into the American space economy for D2D technologies since the adoption of the SCS framework. The largest deals include:
Chairman Carr tied the proposal directly to this investment surge: "Direct-to-device means fast and ubiquitous connectivity provided directly from next-gen satellite constellations to your smartphone or device. Coupling that resource with the innovation hotbed that is our unlicensed wireless device ecosystem could be a game changer."
The FCC has already taken several steps to meet D2D demand: approving Grain Management's plan to lease 800 MHz of spectrum for the service, allowing AST SpaceMobile to operate on AT&T and Verizon's terrestrial spectrum, and reviewing AST's request to partner with Ligado for their exclusive D2D spectrum holdings.
RF Engineering Implications
For the RF and microwave engineering community, this NPRM raises several significant technical considerations that will shape the proceeding's outcome:
🔼 Uplink: Asymmetric Design
The FCC proposes Earth-to-space operation in all three bands (902–928 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz). This means existing Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and IoT devices could potentially transmit to authorized satellites using their current Part 15 power limits. The uplink path is relatively straightforward from a regulatory perspective — the device simply needs to be Part 15 compliant and the satellite FCC-authorized.
Key challenge for RF designers: Satellite receivers must handle signals from millions of uncoordinated terrestrial transmitters with varying power levels, antenna gains, and duty cycles. This requires advanced interference mitigation, adaptive receivers, and potentially new waveform designs optimized for the satellite uplink channel.
🔽 Downlink: The Harder Problem
The FCC is initially only seeking comment on satellite downlinks in the 5725–5850 MHz (U-NII-3) band. This is because downlinks pose a fundamentally harder coexistence challenge: a satellite beam illuminates a large geographic area, potentially raising the noise floor for thousands of terrestrial receivers simultaneously.
The proceeding specifically asks industry to develop limits for:
- Power flux density (PFD) — satellite signal strength at Earth's surface
- Beam footprints — geographic coverage of each satellite downlink beam
- Aggregate constellation emissions — cumulative effect of multiple satellites
- Out-of-band emissions — adjacent-band interference to terrestrial Wi-Fi
- Duty cycles and contention protocols — how satellites share the band
- Elevation angles — minimum satellite elevation for D2D operations
🛰️ In-Space Operations
Beyond Earth-to-space and space-to-Earth links, the FCC is also exploring Wi-Fi and Bluetooth use inside spacecraft, including:
- Intravehicular communications within crewed spacecraft
- Extravehicular (EVA) communications for spacewalks
- Inter-satellite links between co-orbiting spacecraft
- In-space servicing and manufacturing operations
- Unintended electromagnetic emissions from satellite electronics
This could standardize the use of off-the-shelf Wi-Fi/Bluetooth hardware for space missions, reducing cost and development time for satellite manufacturers — a potential boon for the smallsat industry.
Terminal Design Comparison: The Emerging D2D Ecosystem
As the D2D market matures, several terminal form factors are emerging to serve different segments. Here's a comparison of key specifications:
| Terminal | Network | Speed | Dimensions | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Leo Pro | LEO (Ku/Ka-band) | Up to 400 Mbps | ~28 cm square | ~2.4 kg |
| Amazon Leo Nano | LEO (Ku/Ka-band) | Up to 100 Mbps | ~18 cm | Portable |
| Amazon Leo Aviation | LEO (Ku/Ka-band) | 1 Gbps down / 400 Mbps up | Low-profile, no moving parts | Integrated modem |
| Starlink V5 | LEO (Ku/Ka-band) | 375+ Mbps | 38.4 × 30.6 × 3.4 cm | 35–50 W |
| Starlink Aero | LEO (Ku/Ka-band) | 1 Gbps per antenna | Aviation-grade | Integrated |
Note: Unlicensed D2D terminals (Wi-Fi/Bluetooth-class) would likely be significantly simpler and cheaper than the dedicated phased array antennas above, though with proportionally lower throughput.
How the Industry Is Responding
The D2D sector is moving at breakneck speed, with multiple parallel developments shaping the competitive landscape:
Amazon Leo: From Project Kuiper to Commercial Service
Amazon's LEO satellite network — now branded Amazon Leo — has deployed over 396 satellites as of July 2026, with the next Ariane 6 mission set to carry 36 satellites (the largest payload to date). Amazon has secured agreements with airlines including JetBlue (free Fly-Fi by 2027) and Delta (500 aircraft from 2028), plus a first-of-its-kind deal in Africa with South Africa's Herotel. The company's acquisition of Globalstar — motivated partly by its D2D spectrum — positions Amazon to benefit directly from the FCC's unlicensed spectrum proposal.
SpaceX & Starlink: Dominant but Facing Competition
With over 10,000 satellites in orbit and service available in 150+ countries, Starlink maintains a commanding lead. However, SpaceX's $19.6 billion investment in EchoStar's D2D spectrum signals that even the market leader sees unlicensed spectrum access as strategically critical. Starlink's Gen3 constellation filing for 100,000 satellites with W/D-band phased arrays (covered in our earlier report) demonstrates the pace of ambition.
AST SpaceMobile & Direct Handset Connectivity
AST SpaceMobile has pushed back its launch campaign to early 2027 while exploring vertical integration. The company successfully demonstrated direct smartphone-to-satellite connectivity and is actively acquiring spectrum — including a $550M deal for Ligado's L-band spectrum and a pending partnership request. The FCC's unlicensed spectrum proposal could provide AST with an additional connectivity pathway that doesn't require exclusive licensed spectrum.
Xona Space Systems: LEO Navigation as D2D Foundation
As covered in our recent report, Xona's Pulsar constellation will deliver positioning signals 100x stronger than GPS. While focused on PNT (Positioning, Navigation, and Timing), the same LEO architecture principles that enable strong navigation signals could be extended to support D2D communications — further blurring the line between satellite navigation and broadband services.
What Happens Next
The FCC is scheduled to vote on the NPRM at its August 6, 2026 open meeting. If adopted, the proceeding will open a formal comment period where industry stakeholders, RF engineering societies, and satellite operators can weigh in on technical parameters.
Key questions that will shape the final rules include:
- Licensing model: Will satellites operate under a "license by rule" mechanism (automatic authorization) or require individual earth-station applications?
- Blanket licensing: Can a single satellite authorization cover operations across all three bands simultaneously?
- Equipment certification: Will existing Wi-Fi/Bluetooth devices need new certification for satellite communication, or can software updates enable D2D functionality?
- International coordination: How will the FCC coordinate with ITU and other national regulators to prevent cross-border interference?
- Coexistence with terrestrial Wi-Fi: What technical limits will protect existing Wi-Fi networks from satellite downlink interference?
🔮 Implications for BRIDZA's Focus Areas
For engineers working in RF components, satellite communications, and precision timing, this proposal signals a major shift: the boundary between terrestrial and satellite RF systems is dissolving. Future user terminals may need to handle both licensed satellite links (Ka/Ku-band phased arrays) and unlicensed D2D connections (2.4/5.8 GHz) simultaneously. This convergence creates demand for multi-band RF front-ends, advanced filtering solutions, and integrated timing references that can serve both GNSS and satellite communication functions. The timing and frequency synchronization requirements for coexistence with terrestrial networks will also drive demand for high-precision oscillators and atomic clock references — areas at the heart of BRIDZA's product portfolio.
📚 Sources
- Broadband Breakfast — FCC to Vote on Proposal for More Direct-to-Device Spectrum in August (July 15, 2026)
- Exterra — Unlicensed Devices Proposed for Direct Satellite Links Under FCC Plan (July 16, 2026)
- Telco Magazine — FCC: Brendan Carr Proposes Unlicensed Spectrum for D2D (July 16, 2026)
- ConvergeDigest — FCC Proposes Opening Wi-Fi and IoT Spectrum for Direct-to-Satellite (July 16, 2026)
- Amazon Leo — Official Product Page (accessed July 2026)
- OpenPR — In-Flight Connectivity Market Enters a Fleetwide Upgrade Cycle (July 18, 2026)
- SpaceNews — Weekly Roundup: Project Kuiper, Apex, Spire Global (July 19, 2026)