DirecTV has sided with SpaceX in the ongoing fight with DISH Network over the use of the 12GHz spectrum for a 5G network. The two companies claim DISH Network’s plans would disrupt their satellite services, a claim which DISH has called a “public misinformation campaign.”
DirecTV filed their objection to DISH Network’s plans with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Monday. The satellite TV provider said the proposal to use the 12GHz spectrum “would cause severe and widespread interference to DirecTV subscribers in all areas of the country, whether urban, suburban, or rural.”
To support the claim DirecTV included a study conducted by the satellite and space systems consulting services firm SAVID, The study took a conservative approach which would “significantly understate the indicated interference,” but even still found the plans would cause “extensive” interference for its customers.
“The analysis concludes that mobile operations in the band would cause extensive harmful interference to DirecTV 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 in the filing. (via PCMag)
The only solution would be to reject DISH Network’s plans and keep the 12GHz spectrum for satellite service providers, because “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 said.
Since asking for support last last month, SpaceX customers have overwhelmed the FCC with over 95,000 comments urging the agency to reject the rule changes proposed by DISH.
