FCC Set to Vote on Easing Satellite Power Rules, Boosting SpaceX’s Starlink

A proposed order would scrap decades-old spectrum-sharing restrictions that SpaceX says have throttled broadband speeds for millions of rural Americans.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Starlink satellites is seen over Sebastian Inlet after launching from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2025. Sam Wolfe/Reuters

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on April 8 that it will vote on an order to revamp satellite spectrum-sharing rules that would benefit low-earth orbit broadband providers—and SpaceX stands to gain the most.

“By discarding last century’s satellite regulations, we could see billions of dollars in benefits for the American economy and broadband speeds many times faster than what is available today,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said in a statement.