Anterix 900 MHz D2D plans face FCC rule limits

Grain Management asked the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, to allow satellite direct-to-device services in 800 MHz spectrum, prompting new attention on whether Anterix could launch direct-to-device services in its 900 MHz holdings. The issue is whether existing FCC rules allow satellite direct-to-device operations in those terrestrial mobile bands.

Anterix holds 900 MHz spectrum used for private wireless networks, and the question raised by the filing is whether that spectrum could also support direct-to-device, or D2D, satellite connectivity. The source material does not state that Anterix has launched a D2D service or filed its own FCC request, only that Grain Management's 800 MHz proposal highlights the regulatory question for 900 MHz.

Direct-to-device satellite service has become a broader spectrum policy issue as companies seek permission to connect standard devices from space using frequencies historically assigned for terrestrial use. In the U.S., FCC decisions on non-terrestrial network use in bands such as 800 MHz and 900 MHz could affect how spectrum holders including Grain Management and Anterix use their licensed assets.