A Federal Communications Commission ruling will boost broadband availability for more Americans by expanding satellite network capacity several times over, improving reliability and likely lowering costs. The increased efficiency of satellite networks under the order will also lead to faster speeds for users.

The order approved at the April 30 FCC meeting will replace an outdated and unnecessarily restrictive framework from the 1990s called Equivalent Power Flux Density, which was designed to prevent interference with geostationary orbit satellites. The more advanced designs of modern satellite constellations make interference much less of a concern.

The FCC said the decision will align policy with advances in satellite technology and the growing demand for the broadband market. The previous framework handcuffed the performance of low-Earth orbit satellite constellations by capping signal quality and overall capacity.

“Technological advances now allow (non-geostationary orbit) systems to use shared spectrum far more efficiently and to mitigate interference in ways that were not possible when Equivalent Power Flux Density limits were first implemented,” said FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty.

Satellite broadband is one of the fastest-growing segments of the broadband industry. Space X’s Starlink, one of the top providers, intends to greatly expand its reach through the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Amazon’s Leo (another BEAD recipient) is expected to deploy 1,600 satellites as part of its satellite constellation by 2028, with plans to launch 3,236 satellites in total.

This form of broadband is a key component of the revamped BEAD. The government intends to use alternative fiber sources to help reach remote, unserved locations where terrestrial broadband is difficult to build. As an example, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands broadband coordinator Jaren Tengan said his state has to deal not only with connecting homes and businesses across multiple islands but also with subterranean lava rock in some areas, which makes it difficult to deploy underground fiber.

Low-Earth-orbit satellite broadband is expected to serve more than 20 percent of eligible locations under the BEAD program. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said this decision will help increase competition in the internet marketplace.

 “Wireless carriers are now competing for in-home subscribers. Cable companies are competing for wireless customers. And satellite is competing with both cable and wireless. Today’s FCC decision will help supercharge that competition while expanding our country’s technological leadership,” he said.

Carr also rightly noted that increased competition leads to increased consumer choice.

The FCC says the move would improve capacity sevenfold for low-Earth orbit satellite broadband. LEO operators will be able to use spectrum in the higher ranges of 10.7-12.7 GigaHertz, 17.3-18.6 GHz, and 19.7-20.2 GHz.

SpaceX previously said in a filing with the FCC that the order would greatly improve its ability to connect more customers.

“By opening broad swaths of spectrum for satellite use under a streamlined light-licensing framework, the Commission will enable satellite operators to rapidly expand their services to keep pace with ever-increasing customer demand for high-speed connectivity and extend America’s leadership in space,” SpaceX wrote.

Speaking at an event hosted by New America, which recently released a report on low-Earth orbit satellite policy, Summit Ridge Group founder Armand Musey said interference with other spectrum users — a recurring concern in spectrum policy — should be minimal with the satellite power boost, and that higher power levels can likely be implemented safely.

The FCC’s decision is a win-win for consumers. It not only helps pave the way for the BEAD-led expansion of satellite broadband as a viable source for unserved and underserved Americans, but it also increases marketplace competition, lowering subscription rates for those same households and businesses.

Johnny Kampis is the director of telecom policy for the Taxpayers Protection Alliance. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.