DirecTV Joins SpaceX in Opposing Dish's 5G Plan Over Interference Concerns

pcmag.com:

DirecTV is joining SpaceX to oppose a Dish Network plan to use 12GHz spectrum for a 5G cellular network. DirecTV filed(Opens in a new window) its opposition to the proposal on Monday, and like SpaceX, it argues that Dish’s proposal to use 12GHz spectrum risks disrupting other satellite services, including DirecTV’s own satellite dishes. 

“A new mobile service in the 12GHz band would cause severe and widespread interference to DirecTV subscribers in all areas of the country, whether urban, suburban, or rural,” the company wrote in the filing. 

To back up the claims, DirecTV commissioned its own study on the matter from a San Francisco-based satellite consultancy called SAVID, which “made several conservative assumptions that significantly understate the indicated interference," DirecTV said. This included ignoring potential interference from surrounding smartphones communicating with the proposed 12GHz 5G cellular network. But even so, the study found the risk of interference was pervasive for urban, suburban, and rural areas.   

“The analysis concludes that mobile operations in the band would cause extensive harmful interference to DirectTV receivers, exceeding the limits currently in place to protect DBS (direct broadcast satellite) customers by a factor of 100 to 100,000 over areas extending well beyond the intended coverage area of the mobile base stations,” the company said. 

The filing goes on to urge the FCC to reject Dish’s proposal and secure the 12GHz access for satellite providers. “Unlike broadband systems, which can replace lost packets through two-way communications, DBS packets lost to interference result in frozen video screens—and canceled subscriptions,” DirecTV added.

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