Dish: SpaceX Is Using 'Misinformation Campaign' to Rally Starlink Users
SpaceX’s recent effort to petition Starlink users is a “misinformation campaign” designed to mislead the public and the FCC, according to Dish Network.
Dish made the accusation this week through the 5G for 12GHz coalition, which issued a lengthy statement(Opens in a new window) that accuses SpaceX of resorting to disingenuous tactics in its battle to secure radio spectrum rights for Starlink.
“Starlink has initiated a public misinformation campaign by falsely telling customers and the public that coexistence is not possible in the band among Starlink and 5G services—despite nationwide data proving otherwise,” the coalition says.
Both sides are waging a regulatory battle for rights to 12GHz radio spectrum. SpaceX currently uses the radio band to power high-speed downloads for Starlink, a satellite internet system. However, Dish Network and other members of the 5G for 12GHz coalition are calling on the FCC to open rights to the same radio spectrum to help power 5G cellular networks on the ground.
Last month, SpaceX escalated the regulatory battle when it claimed Dish Network’s proposal for the 12GHz band risks making Starlink “unusable” for customers across the US. SpaceX cited its own study, which claims a 5G 12GHz cellular network will cause interference to download rates for Starlink users.
A week later, SpaceX asked Starlink users to sign a petition that urges the FCC to reject Dish’s plan for the 5G network. The petition has since sparked over 70,000 Starlink users to bombard the FCC’s filing system with messages.
Following two weeks of silence, Dish Network is now pushing back by focusing on SpaceX’s study that claims a 12GHz 5G cellular network will cause major interference with Starlink. In reality, the study
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