SpaceX Attacks Opposition to ESIM Use in 12 GHz Band

Dish Network and RS Access opposition to Kepler Communications' application for the 12 GHz band (see 2201040058) is filled with "egregious misrepresentations of the Commission’s rules and precedent," SpaceX told the FCC International Bureau last week. It said Kepler's planned use of the band for earth stations in motion would involve receiving signals, not transmitting, and thus couldn't interfere with other spectrum users. The FCC affirmatively prohibited non-geostationary satellite ESIM operations in some bands, but it specifically didn't do so in the 12 GHz band, SpaceX said. SpaceX called RS Access and Dish petitions an attempt at "protect[ing] the dwindling likelihood of a successful arbitrage play" as they look to sell their multichannel video distribution and data service spectrum licenses to mobile operators. Dish and RSA didn't comment Monday.