United States

FCC clears Starlink to acquire Tristar spectrum for direct-to-phone service

The approval covers three licenses in eight states and replaces tower buildout with satellite performance targets. The transfer has yet to close.

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorized the transfer of three Tristar AWS-3 licenses to SpaceX subsidiary Starlink Spectrum Holdings on October 21. The 1695–1710 MHz band is used for uplink signals from devices. The licenses span 62 counties in eight states, covering about 4% of the US population. The order permits the transfer; it does not establish that the transaction has closed or that a new mobile service is already operating in those areas. [1][2]

The FCC waived the licenses' requirement to build a terrestrial tower network and imposed satellite performance obligations instead. SpaceX must demonstrate uplink speed, availability and spectral efficiency in each licensed area, with targets two, four and nine years after November 30, 2027. Failure to meet the final requirements would automatically terminate the affected license. These are future conditions, not measurements of a live commercial network. [1]

Tristar had not built on this spectrum and, according to the order, its original plan depended on EchoStar's 5G network. Light Reading reported SpaceX's attempt to buy the licenses in August as a way to fill coverage gaps. The FCC considers greater competition a potential benefit, rather than an observed outcome. The photograph shows a 2025 Starlink launch in California: it is an archive image, not evidence of the regulatory decision or use of these frequencies. [1][2]

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