Category Archives: Satellite

Amazon Leo files for three new 6-antenna ground stations in Florida, Minnesota, and Texas

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Data Center Dynamics reports…

Amazon Leo has applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for fixed-gateway ground stations in three states.

The company has submitted paperwork for a gateway in St. Lucie County, Florida; Norman County, Minnesota; and Gaines County, Texas.

“Prompt grant of this application will accelerate the deployment of the Amazon Leo Systems and its ability to expand broadband access for consumers, schools, hospitals, businesses, and other organizations across the United States,” the 47-page Florida application penned by Kuiper Systems corporate counsel Negheen H. Sanjar reads.

The Florida deployment is set to be located at 10161 Range Line Rd in Port St. Lucie, a teleport operated by United Teleports. The Minnesota deployment is planned at 3652 170th Avenue, a vacant plot in Twin Valley. The Texas deployment is planned for 2271 FM 1757 in Seminole.

More info on the stations…

The Florida, Minnesota, and Texas gateways will consist of six 2.4-meter antennas in the bands of 27.5-30 GHz, 17.8-18.6 GHz, and 18.8-20.2 GHz, with no more than four antennas transmitting on the same channel at any one time.

Wright County Board to discuss “Satellite Ground Station” proposed for Rockford Township – apparently approved by the FCC

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KRWC reports…

The Wright County Board of Commissioners will meet later this week along with officials with the Wright County Attorney’s Office and possibly with township officials regarding a new technology front – “satellite ground stations.”

These facilities track satellites, communicate with spacecraft and process data between Earth and space. SpaceX and its subsidiary StarLink are currently in the process of locating eight satellite ground stations in the United States – four in Washington, one each in Wisconsin, California and Utah, and one here in Wright County, in Rockford Township.

Commissioner Nadine Schoen brought the item to the August 25th board meeting. She said that questions have been asked for months, but answers have been slow in coming – if at all…

“It has taken on its own history. It’s mounting. It’s kind of a snowball effect when people start finding out what is actually taking place and what rights are being taken away.”

Commissioner Kirby Moynagh questioned why such a project could be completed without any local oversight or buy-in, stating the Federal Communications Commission has given the project prior approval, thereby superseding local jurisdictions…

“They don’t require permits from the local government, the FCC says they can go in and do it and then they do it and nobody knows about it until after it’s installed.”

Commissioners are frustrated because of what appears to be a federally-approved project’s ability to sidestep local regulations. Officials say local zoning applications from lifelong Wright County residents require rigorous scrutiny, yet, it appears this project hasn’t been on the radar of any Minnesota regulatory authority until recently.

Earlier this month, Commissioner Schoen, along with representatives from the Association of Minnesota Counties and the Minnesota Public Broadband Alliance met with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, where concerns were raised as to how a private company could get the ability to place equipment in an agricultural zone without going through the county or township for permitting.

FCC claims Starlink has more than 7 million US subscribers

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PC Magazine reports…

A new report from the Federal Communications Commission suggests that Starlink’s growth in the US has somehow tripled, reaching over 7 million subscribers.

The 7 million figure is in Friday’s “Section 706” report from the FCC, which examines broadband access nationwide, covering fixed and mobile services. In releasing the report, the commission not only touted progress in expanding access to high-speed broadband and 5G mobile, but also highlighted the expansion of satellite internet services, including SpaceX’s Starlink.

“Satellite service is also rapidly expanding,” the 182-page report says. “Starlink alone has launched over 2,300 satellites between mid-2024 and mid-2025 and has now deployed more than 7,800 satellites—a worldwide network already with over 7 million American subscribers.”

Although it’s clear Starlink has been growing, the FCC figure blows past our expectations, considering SpaceX told the FCC in September 2025 that Starlink was serving “more than 2 million subscribers in the United States alone.” In August 2024, the number was over 1.4 million.

The article shares some explanations…

Farrar added: “They may use a different definition than the paying subscriber total quoted in SpaceX’s financial reports (e.g. people who bought a terminal, but are not currently signed up to a plan).”

It’s also possible more users, including businesses, in the US have adopted Starlink as a backup internet option, noted Tim Belfall, a director at UK-based Starlink installer Westend WiFi. For example, some customers may have bought a Starlink dish, but placed it on the $10-per-month Standby Mode, rather than pay for a regular subscription.

 

Orbital seeks FCC Approval for 100,000 data center satellites

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Broadband Breakfast reports...

Orbital, a five-month-old startup based in Los Angeles, has asked the Federal Communications Commission for permission to deploy up to 100,000 data center satellites.

The application submitted June 24 outlines plans for a constellation that would deliver approximately 10 gigawatts of compute, roughly enough to meet the average electricity demand of about 8 to 10 million U.S. homes, without drawing on terrestrial electricity, land, or water.

Benton Institute for Broadband and Society posts primer on Starlink

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Benton Institute for Broadband and Society posted a nice primer on Starlink…

Starlink is all over the broadband news lately. The SpaceX-owned broadband provider has come a long way since it first launched 60 satellites in May 2019. Today, SpaceX has more than 10,000 satellites in orbit and has received regulatory approval to grow the fleet to 15,000. The company reports over 9 million direct subscribers globally (2.7 million in the U. S. alone), a number experts think is poised to grow exponentially in the coming years. In a recent SEC filing, Starlink claimed it can reach 3.3 billion potential users now.

The article goes on to address the following topics:

  • How Starlink Works
  • Advantages of Starlink
  • Disadvantages of Starlink
  • The Questions Facing Policymakers
  • Where We’re Going

NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth updates Congress about BEAD

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I’m borrowing from Benton Institute’s recap of NTIA’s Administrator, Arielle Roth, update to Congress on BEAD from June 30, 2026…

The House Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology convened an oversight hearing focused on the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and Administrator Arielle Roth was the sole witness. NTIA oversees the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which was intended to provide grants for last-mile deployment in unserved and underserved areas. On June 6, 2025, the Trump NTIA issued new guidance for the BEAD Program. The guidance removed many Biden-era requirements, including a fiber technology preference and low-income plans. The June 2025 guidance directed eligible entities to run an additional “benefit-of-the-bargain” bidding round to ensure that awards reflected the changes made by the Administration and to submit final proposals by September 4, 2025. In the year since issuing the new guidance, NTIA has approved 54 out of 56 final proposals submitted by eligible entities, BEAD-funded infrastructure in two states has been deployed, and the program expects to “save” approximately $21 billion on deployment costs. What to do with the remaining money is to be determined. NTIA held a listening session to gather input on how this “nondeployment” money could be used by states, and is expected to provide guidance soon. Ideas include public safety, deployment to homes and businesses that may have been missed following the initial bidding round, workforce development, and permitting reform. The hearing, in part, was aiming at determining the  status of BEAD deployment and nondeployment funding.

The rest of the notes highlight different views of BEAD. Some folks are focused on saving as much money as possible. Some folks are focused on getting better broadband to everyone. Everyone seems frustrated with the slow timeline. And most folks were hoping for more information on the plan for nondeployment funds from BEAD…

During questioning from Members of the Subcommittee, Administrator Roth said guidance on nondeployment funding will come “this summer.” She deferred specifics on the question of whether those funds will be held back from states that enact regulations on artificial intelligence, as directed by a presidential executive order. “We want the funding … to produce real measurable outcomes, be non-duplicative, non-distortionary….” Roth said. She added, “we’re proceeding cautiously in producing the guidance so that we can ensure that this funding achieves the same success as the first segment of the BEAD Program.”

Starlink rural customers are seeing price increases

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I’m borrowing the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society’s summary of the Washington Post article…

When Julie Slama and her husband moved to a home outside Dunbar, Nebraska, in April 2022, they were happy customers of Elon Musk’s Starlink. The satellite-based internet service from Musk’s rocket-maker, SpaceX, was the only practical option for them in their rural community, and their $90 monthly rate has felt reasonable in the years since. SpaceX is set to list on the stock market this week at a valuation of more than $1 trillion, and Slama is now feeling the squeeze. She and her husband, parents of three who run a law firm from their home, face a 44 percent jump in their internet bill, an annual increase of nearly $500. Starlink told some U.S. customers in May that it was raising prices and increased the cost of most plans for a service that counts millions of users across the country. “I can complain about Starlink raising their prices, but it’s the only real option we have,” said Slama, a Republican and former Nebraska state senator. “Once they have rural customers on their service with no meaningful alternatives, they’re free to raise prices at will.” “When you have a captured consumer you are able to raise the prices,” said Drew Garner, director of policy engagement at the nonpartisan Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. “Given that broadband is an essential service and that the consumer has to buy it you’re able to … squeeze them often.”

The Daily Yonder looks at policy perspective changes of satellite

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The Daily Yonder reports on policy change that impact satellite…

In a proposed rulemaking adopted unanimously on May 20 the FCC asked whether LEO satellite broadband should be treated as a sufficient substitute for terrestrial infrastructure in the most difficult-to-serve areas, and whether continued support for land-based deployments in those locations constitutes unnecessary “overbuilding.”

In its proposal, the FCC claimed “nearly all” remaining U.S. locations without a fiber, cable or fixed wireless broadband connection are now considered to be served by “a LEO satellite provider.”

Many of those locations are in sparsely populated rural areas, where the high cost of deploying terrestrial broadband infrastructure has historically left residents with few connectivity options.

In its filing, the FCC reinforced its policy that “providing support in areas of the country where another voice and broadband provider is offering high-quality service without government assistance is an inefficient use of limited universal service funds.”

Ookla ranks MN’s access to fixed broadband (100/20) at 31

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Ookla reports…

Ookla Speedtest Intelligence® data found that the number of states that are able to deliver fixed broadband services (fiber, cable and DSL) to the minimum standard of broadband speeds (100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload) to 60% or more of Speedtest users in their state increased from 38 states and the District of Columbia in the first half of 2025 to 45 states and the District of Columbia in the second half of 2025. Plus, 13 states are now delivering the minimum  of 100/20 Mbps fixed broadband speeds to 70% or more of Speedtest users.

Speedtest data also indicates that satellite broadband speeds improved during the second half of the year, as well. In the second half of 2025, Starlink’s ability to deliver the FCC’s minimum standard for broadband speeds of 100/20 Mbps across the U.S. improved dramatically with 50% or more of Speedtest users in five states—Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and Nevada—experiencing speeds of 100/20 Mbps while using Starlink’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite service. This was an increase from 1H 2025 when South Dakota with 37.13% was the state with the highest percentage of Starlink users that could get LEO broadband speeds of 100/20 Mbps.

Here’s what they found for Minnesota:

  • Percentage of urban and rural user with access to fixed broadband at 100 Mbps down and 20 up (100/20)
  • Urban: 74.3 percent
  • Rural: 56.4 percent
  • Ranking for overall access: 31
  • Ranking for Starlink users who can access 100/20: 13 at 45.97 percent

Some Legislators looking again at SpaceX’s participation in BEAD funding

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Broadband Breakfast reports on more potential uncertainty for State Broadband leaders dealing to BEAD…

Nearly 20 House Democrats say they have “deep concern” about satellite ISP SpaceX’s participation in a $42.45 billion broadband grant program after the company asked state broadband offices to relax some of the program’s rules.

“Other providers that participated in BEAD presumably did so in good faith, with a clear understanding of the rules. Starlink’s proposed rider suggests that it did not,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter last week to Arielle Roth, head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. “If Starlink cannot comply with the standards that other BEAD providers have accepted, NTIA and state broadband offices must reconsider these awards.”

In January, SpaceX asked states to modify rules around performance testing and other provisions of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program before signing contracts with the company. NTIA, which is managing the program at the federal level, then released an updated FAQ document telling states that they couldn’t negotiate deals with grant winners that conflicted with BEAD rules.

FCC approves Amazon Leo launch of 4500 more satellites

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Fierce Network reports…

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) yesterday granted Amazon Leo the authority to launch 4,500 more satellites.

Recently, Amazon Leo asked the FCC for permission to extend its deadline to launch 3,232 satellites until July 30, 2028. The FCC hasn’t ruled on that request, yet, but it’s generally expected to approve it.

Now, with the FCC’s permission to launch 4,500 more satellites, Amazon Leo will potentially have a low-Earth-orbit (LEO) constellation of more than 7,700 satellites.

As for the 4,500 additional satellites, Amazon Leo must launch 50% of those by February 10, 2032, and the remaining half by February 10, 2035.

SpaceX asks FCC to approve one million satellites in space

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Broadband Breakfast reports…

SpaceX, submitted an authorization request to the FCC to operate their orbital data center system on Friday, kicking off the race to bring data centers to support AI in space.

The request asks for approval to launch and operate up to a one million satellite constellation that will utilize a sun-synchronous orbit to obtain near constant solar power.

That’s a lot more than they currently manage…

SpaceX currently operates around 9,400 functioning satellites through its starlink broadband system, making this request a more than 100-fold increase in operational scale. The application letter  doesn’t provide specific details on the satellites themselves, but does say it hopes to operate between 500 kilometers (km) and 2000 km above earth’s surface with orbital shells of 50 km suggesting there would be “sufficient room to deconflict against other systems with comparable ambitions”

SpaceX is looking for exemption from certain BEAD requirements

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The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society reports…

In a letter to state broadband offices, Elon Musk’s SpaceX suggested that it may be “untenable” for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet providers, such as Starlink, to participate in the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program unless they receive exemptions from certain contract requirements. Those exemptions, which are specified in a “contract rider” attached to the letter, would limit Starlink’s performance obligations, payment schedules, non-compliance penalties, reporting expectations, and labor and insurance standards.

SpaceX’s request highlights issues with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) reliance on LEO providers. BEAD was designed primarily to deploy terrestrial networks, which are physically located in communities, built with traditional construction methods, and are relatively easy to monitor and inspect. But, on June 6, 2025, NTIA restructured BEAD in ways that greatly increased participation by LEO providers, exacerbating the challenge of applying BEAD’s terrestrial-focused rules to LEO’s extraterrestrial networks.

SpaceX’s solution appears to be to simply exempt LEO providers from many of BEAD’s requirements. Specifically, SpaceX proposes that:

  1. LEO providers should be evaluated exclusively by network performance. However, performance tests can only be considered if the LEO provider determines that the subscriber’s equipment is properly installed, and, notably, the LEO provider is not obligated to ensure proper installation. LEO providers should not be required to document that their network has “reserved capacity” exclusively for BEAD users.
  2. LEO providers should not be reimbursed based on subscriber acquisition but rather should receive 50 percent payment upon certification of service availability and the remaining 50 percent quarterly over 10 years.
  3. In the event of default or non-compliance, LEO providers should only be subject to the clawback of grant funds and debarment, nothing more.
  4. LEO providers should not be required to provide financial reporting or documentation of grant expenses.
  5. LEO providers should not be subject to BEAD’s labor or insurance requirements.
  6. Starlink’s Low-Cost Service Option will cost $80 or less and be available to Lifeline-eligible households.

Starlink plans to lower satellite orbit to enhance safety in 2026

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KFGO reports…

Starlink will begin a reconfiguration of its satellite constellation by lowering all of its satellites orbiting at around 550 km (342 ‍miles) to 480 km over the course of 2026, Michael Nicolls, SpaceX’s vice president of Starlink engineering, said on Thursday.

The company is looking to increase space safety by lowering the satellites’ orbit.

This comes after Starlink said in December ‌that one of its satellites experienced ‌an anomaly in space, creating a “small” amount of debris and cutting off communications with the spacecraft at 418 km in altitude, a rare kinetic accident in orbit for the satellite ​internet giant.

The company had said the satellite, one of nearly 10,000 in space for its broadband internet ‍network, quickly fell four kilometers ​in altitude, suggesting some kind of ​explosion occurred on board.

“Lowering the satellites results in condensing Starlink ‍orbits, and will increase space safety in several ways,” Nicolls said in a post on social media platform X, adding “the number of debris objects and planned satellite constellations is significantly lower below 500 km, ‍reducing the aggregate likelihood of collision.”

Are existing satellite power rules outdated? Experts discuss at recent conference

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Fierce Network reports from the New America LEO Satellite Policy Symposium…

Power limits – not just lack of spectrum – are a key bottleneck for low earth orbit (LEO) satellite deployment, panelists argued at a New America policy event.

As the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) considers how to update its satellite spectrum sharing rules, it’s also thinking about revamping its Equivalent Power Flux Density (EPFD) limits so that LEO providers can boost their satellite power levels – and in turn up their capacity.

Joe Kane, director of broadband and spectrum policy at ITIF, said revising the existing rules makes sense because they “don’t really envision a world in which we have [thousands of schedules] in multiple different constellations going around the earth all the time.”

The FCC’s EPFD limits are based on standards established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in the 1990s. The idea was to prevent interference between geostationary (GEO) and non-geostationary satellites.