A 5G coalition in the U.S. has accused SpaceX of running a 'public misinformation campaign' about how opening up the 12GHz band for 5G could disrupt its Starlink satellite internet service. Starlink is owned and operated by SpaceX, and is present in dozens of countries, including the U.S. It uses more than 2,400 low-earth orbit satellites to provide internet connectivity, with SpaceX saying it plans to add hundreds more as part of its plans to have global coverage.

To provide wireless internet connectivity, Starlink uses the hotly-contested 12GHz band, creating a conflict with carriers and 5G service providers who also lay claim to the coveted spectrum. According to them, the U.S. ranks last among the world's major wireless markets in terms of available capacity, and one of the easiest and most convenient ways to change that would be to share the 12GHz band with satellite internet providers, like Starlink.

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The '5Gfor12GHz Coalition,' a non-profit industry lobby group that includes the likes of Dish Network, Dell, and RS Access, has accused Starlink of a false and harmful anti-5G narrative over the use of the 12GHz spectrum. In a statement posted on its website, the coalition directly accused Elon Musk of using scare tactics to spread anti-5G propaganda. According to the statement, SpaceX's tactics would stifle competition and hurt American consumers who are seeking better connectivity options. "It also stands to threaten America’s global leadership in the 5G and technology sector as other countries outpace the nation in delivering next-generation services," the statement said.

SpaceX And Dish Have Been Fighting Over 12GHz For Over A Year

Starlink vs Dish

The altercation between SpaceX and the 5Gfor12GHz Coalition has been ongoing for more than a year, but the most recent flashpoint was the former's message to Starlink users, urging them to petition their lawmakers to stop Dish from using the 12GHz band for 5G. In the days following the public plea, more than 70,000 messages flooded the FCC’s public comment system, with an overwhelming majority of them exhorting the FCC and U.S. lawmakers to stop Dish from using the 12GHz band.

With SpaceX seemingly winning the perception battle, the coalition has now come out and released a strong statement that it says "sets the record straight" on Starlink's misinformation campaign. While the coalition claims that the 12GHz band has enough resources to share for satellite internet and terrestrial 5G, SpaceX disputes that notion. According to SpaceX, allocating any spectrum in the contentious band to Dish or other 5G provider would be "changing the rules to satisfy speculative and poorly-defined technologies" and would hurt under-served consumers who need Starlink's satellite internet the most.

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Source: 5Gfor12GHz, VoterVoice