May. 12 at 10:11 PM
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the
$40 billion sale of EchoStar’s wireless spectrum to SpaceX and AT&T, aiming to expand nationwide connectivity and accelerate 5G and satellite network development.
Under the deal, AT&T will acquire about 50 MHz of spectrum for
$23 billion, including mid-band and low-band frequencies, to strengthen its 5G network and improve rural coverage. SpaceX will purchase 65 MHz for
$17 billion to enhance Starlink’s direct-to-device connectivity capabilities.
The agreement also includes a hybrid mobile virtual network arrangement between AT&T and EchoStar to maintain Boost Mobile operations. SpaceX will gain exclusive-use spectrum rights to support terrestrial, space-based, and hybrid network architectures.
The FCC granted SpaceX regulatory exemptions to support satellite-terrestrial convergence and required AT&T to accelerate its network buildout timeline.
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