Rural carriers tell the FCC: don't let satellites beam over our spectrum without permission

FCC ECFS · SB Docket 25-201 · Opposition · 2025-11-18
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The Competitive Carriers Association represents wireless providers that range, in its words, from "small, rural carriers serving fewer than 5,000 customers" to national networks. On November 18, 2025 it asked the FCC to reject a satellite-to-phone plan from AST & Science, AT&T, Verizon and FirstNet. The applications, it argued, "seek to authorize secondary satellite operations over licensed spectrum without the consent of the primary licensees," and shift the burden so that a rural carrier would have to prove after the fact that the satellite service caused a dropped call, including a dropped 911 call.

CCA asked the Commission to require a Geographically Independent Area covering the continental U.S. (a "CONUS GIA"), or deny the application. Docket 25-201 is contested: 145 filings, including 94 comments and 8 oppositions.

"form a CONUS GIA that includes CCA members as participants rather than excludes them as victims"

— Competitive Carriers Association, FCC docket 25-201

Sources: FCC ECFS filing → · Orbit Sentinel (docket 25-201)

Filed underDocket 25-201Supplemental Coverage from SpaceDirect-to-cellSpectrumCompetitionFCC

Questions & answers

Why did the Competitive Carriers Association oppose docket 25-201?
CCA argued the applications would authorize secondary satellite operations over licensed spectrum without the consent of the primary licensees, and that its rural-carrier members could face device-to-device, co-channel and adjacent-channel interference.
What does CCA want the FCC to do?
It asks the Commission to require a complete CONUS GIA to protect licensed operations, or to deny the application.
Who filed for the Supplemental Coverage from Space authorization?
The applications were filed by AST & Science, LLC together with AT&T, Verizon and FirstNet.