Elon Musk frowns at 5G. A new network can hinder the internet from outer space

Managed by (and owned by) Elon Musk, SpaceX has been building its own network of communication satellites for several years, which in the future are to cover the entire Earth with high-speed internet delivered from orbit. The pace of building the Starlink network is impressive. SpaceX already has several thousand satellites, and the network is used by as many as approx. 400,000. customers around the world.

Internet from space does not like 5G. There will be disruptions

Now, however, for the first time, SpaceX is paying attention to the threats to its starlinks. But not those in space, but on Earth. According to a research report published by the company, an obstacle to accessing the Internet from space will be 5G, specifically a new generation network operating on the 12 GHz frequency band.

This is the band that Dish Network in the United States wants to provide 5G to its customers, which has just submitted an appropriate application to US regulatory authorities. As the fight for more and more new frequencies is fierce, it can be expected that other companies (also from outside the US) will also be interested in the 12 GHz band. Meanwhile, the same band is already used by SpaceX, providing the Starlink service and its main competitor OneWeb.

Of course, for the relevant authorities to issue a positive decision, the activities of one company must not interfere with the activities of the other. Dish Network believes that there are no grounds for concern, but SpaceX decided to check it out. And that it is not so colorful at all.

More specifically, SpaceX believes that “even with very favorable interference mitigation assumptions”, networks operating in this band will interfere with the Starlink service, which “operates at frequencies of 12.2 – 12.7 GHz 77 percent of the time.” SpaceX also calculated that it means that the internet from space would not work (in the areas where the Dish Network is to operate) for a total of 74 percent. time.

In short, SpaceX calculated that if the new operator starts providing 5G to its customers, current Starlink Internet recipients will not be able to connect to the network for almost 3/4 of the time or it will work poorly. The study also calculated that interference will occur at a distance of at least 21 km from each 5G base station (operating on the disputed band).

For now, it is not known how American market regulators will respond to SpaceX’s allegations. However, the case will probably set a precedent and may be an indication for similar conflicts that will probably arise in the future. Also outside the US.