Topic: 5g Spectrum

A new Starlink satellite internet kit was recently installed, featuring a rectangular dish and a motorized stand for automatic alignment. The service provides speeds of up to 250 Mbps down and 25 Mbps up with a 38ms ping time. Meanwhile, a legal battle has emerged between Starlink and Dish Network over the 12 GHz band, as Starlink claims Dish's 5G rollout could degrade satellite service by 30%.

The FCC has ordered approximately 1,000 over-the-air (OTA) television stations to reconfigure their broadcast frequencies to make room for 5G cellular networks. This transition requires viewers who use antennas to rescan their television channels to maintain access to local programming. The move follows a multi-year spectrum auction process where broadcasters sold off frequencies to telecommunications companies.

The proposed T-Mobile and Sprint merger is tied to a commitment to roll out 5G broadband to 99% of the US population. Adam Curry argues that the 5G protocol is the "opposite of net neutrality" because it uses a prioritization system for different types of data. Concerns are raised about the use of unlicensed spectrum and the potential for interference with smart meters.