The FCC Proposes New Mid-Band Spectrum Auction And Unlocking 800MHz For Drones
The agency is doubling down on direct-to-device service.
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The US Federal Communications Commission laid out a trio of proposals for several rule changes around wireless connectivity. The plans will be put to a vote later this month and largely center on direct-to-device communications.
First, the agency suggested overhauling its rules for direct-to-device, or D2D, service. The stated goal is to "promote more flexible terrestrial, satellite, and hybrid business arrangements." Related, the second proposal is to auction 25 megahertz of mid-band spectrum. Bids would be targeting use cases such as "flexible-use terrestrial networks, innovative direct-to-device (D2D) operations, or a hybrid of both" according to the FCC. This could prove enticing to companies like Amazon, which are hoping to join the growing field of satellite-based cellular service.
One such company is SpaceX, which already has spectrum licenses it bought from EchoStar. Yesterday the FCC granted approval to SpaceX...
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