Wire · founder news, decoded · regulatory
Technologists Question Whether Using Unlicensed Spectrum for D2D Makes Sense
◆ Published
23 July 2026
◆ Topic
regulatory
◆ Geography
◆ Source
◆ Verified
Fusion42 · 24 July 2026 · Fusion42 review
FCC's proposed Notice of Rulemaking on unlicensed spectrum for satellite direct-to-device connections faces fundamental technical scepticism from industry experts, who question whether signal isolation and interference mitigation are feasible in populated areas. The debate reveals deeper strategic tension: wireless carriers want alternatives to Starlink dominance, but the current D2D service remains severely capacity-limited.
◆ The Wire takeaway
If you're building satellite or ground-based signal aggregation tech, the FCC just opened a door it doesn't know how to close - the NPRM admits sharing is possible but doesn't say how, and the carriers are desperate enough to find a Starlink alternative that they'll fund the experiments to prove it works. You have a window to solve the interference problem before the rule closes.
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◆ Topics
spectrum-regulation · satellite-d2d · fcc-nprm · signal-interference · starlink-competition