FCC Approves SpaceX Purchase of EchoStar's Spectrum

The Federal Communications Commission approved the purchase of about 65 megaherts of spectrum to SpaceX from EchoStar.

The sale, which was approved by the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Space Bureau, will give SpaceX access to spectrum nationwide for its next-generation direct-to-device service, the FCC said Tuesday. Direct-to-device systems enable phones and other devices to connect directly to satellites for high-speed coverage, rather than relying on traditional carrier services.

SpaceX will acquire about 15 megahertz of unpaired, nationwide AWS-3 spectrum, 40 megahertz of nationwide AWS-4 spectrum, and 10 megahertz of nationwide H-Block spectrum, the FCC said.

The FCC also approved EchoStar's sale of 50 megahertz of spectrum to AT&T.

The two sales are worth more than $40 billion in total deal value, the FCC said.