FCC to Vote on Spectrum Auction to Expand Satellite-to-Phone Networks

The Federal Communications Commission is preparing to vote on auctioning 25 megahertz of prime spectrum dedicated to direct-to-device satellite connectivity, a policy shift that could aid network expansion plans for aerospace and tech companies, according to a report from CNBC Business (https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/07/fcc-spectrum-auction-spacex-amazon.html).

The agency announced Wednesday that it will also vote on Oct. 29 to open public comment on an initiative to free up an additional 482 megahertz of spectrum for supplemental space coverage and update regulatory frameworks for direct-to-device transmissions in licensed bands. A third scheduled vote seeks to remove an existing restriction prohibiting drone operations in the 800 MHz Cellular band.

The proposed rules arrive amid substantial capital deployment into orbital broadband and direct-to-cell infrastructure. In July, Amazon filed an application with the FCC seeking authorization to deploy up to 5,105 internet satellites designed to deliver direct-to-device access for unserved and underserved regions. Amazon followed that filing in August with an agreement to acquire Globalstar for more than $11.5 billion to support its low-Earth orbit connectivity business.

SpaceX has similarly advanced its satellite-to-phone footprint. On Tuesday, the FCC's Space Bureau approved an application for SpaceX to operate a direct-to-cell constellation of 15,000 satellites. According to the agency, SpaceX's constellation will utilize spectrum acquired earlier this year from EchoStar under FCC approval.

In a statement on Wednesday, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the direct-to-device proposals are designed to eliminate cellular dead zones by routing service directly from next-generation satellite constellations to smartphones, while the drone framework aims to provide usable spectrum to advance domestic commercial and defense innovation.