“Our Economy Doesn’t Benefit From Monopolies”

The Chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Jessica Rosenworcel, wants more companies to enter the competition for providing satellite-based internet service -- especially when she can throw some shade at a company not in favor with the administration..

She is ignoring the business and technical success of SpaceX by 'encouraging' more businesses to develop their own products and challenge the dominance of SpaceX’s Starlink, which on September 5 launched its 7,000th satellite. Starlink routinely launches satellites into orbit almost every week with the goal of providing more internet access to more areas of Earth, particularly in remote areas.

Rosenworcel said at a conference, “[Starlink has] almost two-thirds of the satellites that are in space right now and has a very high portion of internet traffic… Our economy doesn’t benefit from monopolies. So we’ve got to invite many more space actors in, many more companies that can develop constellations and innovations in space.”

She went on to say, “Every communications market that has competition is strong, we see lower prices and more innovation, and honestly, space should be no exception."

The chair said the FCC helps new companies by explaining how license applications work and helping them understand how the commission performs its mission.

SpaceX does not plan to slow down the rollout of Starlink and production of terminal kits. The plant where kits are built attained an annual capacity of 4.6 million units. The company’s next launch, Mission 9-6, lifted off September 12, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California with the launch window that opened at 7:45 p.m. PDT.

FMI:  www.fcc.gov/