{"url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-13/fcc-spacex-starlink-gateway-licenses","markdown_url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-13/fcc-spacex-starlink-gateway-licenses.md","title":"FCC Approves 36 SpaceX Starlink Gateway Stations","headline":"FCC Grants SpaceX Licenses for 36 Next-Gen Starlink Gateway Stations","description":"The FCC granted SpaceX licenses for 36 next-gen Starlink gateway stations across several states, supporting gigabit-speed broadband.","section":"Regulation & Approvals","published_at":"2026-11-13T16:58:05+00:00","modified_at":"2026-11-13T16:58:05+00:00","author":"News Desk","key_takeaways":["The FCC granted SpaceX licenses to operate 36 next-generation gateway stations in states including California, Colorado, Missouri, Texas, and Washington.","SpaceX has 26 V3 satellites in orbit, with another 26 scheduled to launch on Friday during a Starship flight.","Iridium withdrew its petitions objecting to the licenses over radio interference concerns."],"companies":[{"name":"FCC","is_primary":true,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00002fw/fcc","website":"http://fcc.gov"},{"name":"Iridium","is_primary":false,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0005vgy/iridium","website":"http://www.iridium.com"}],"source":{"publisher":"PCMag","title":"FCC Green-Lights 36 Next-Gen Starlink Gateways for Gigabit Speeds","url":"https://www.pcmag.com/news/fcc-green-lights-36-next-gen-starlink-gateways-for-gigabit-speeds"},"other_sources":[],"tags":["Regulation & Approvals","FCC","Iridium"],"body_markdown":"The Federal Communications Commission granted SpaceX licenses to operate 36 next-generation gateway stations across several states, including California, Colorado, Missouri, Texas, and Washington, [PCMag](https://www.pcmag.com/news/fcc-green-lights-36-next-gen-starlink-gateways-for-gigabit-speeds) reported on November 13, 2026. The stations are designed to deliver gigabit speeds to the Starlink satellite internet service.\n\n## How the Starlink Gateway Approval Works\n\nStarlink relies on gateway stations connected to fiber networks to transmit data to and from SpaceX's orbiting satellites. In April, SpaceX began filing applications for dozens of \"next-generation quadband gateway earth stations,\" which use 40 antennas to harness additional radio waves for \"gigabit-speed, low-latency broadband\" and \"fiber-like capacity.\"\n\nThe next-gen gateways are a key part of SpaceX's effort to deliver gigabit speeds with its new V3 satellites. SpaceX currently has 26 V3 satellites in orbit, and another 26 are scheduled to launch on Friday during the company's latest Starship flight. \"I think we'll need a few hundred V3 satellites for people to really feel the impact,\" SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said in last month's earnings call. \"So, a few hundred satellites, and I think we can achieve that by mid next year.\"\n\nThe [FCC](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00002fw/fcc) noted that [Iridium](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0005vgy/iridium) originally objected to the licenses over concerns they would cause radio interference with its own satellite network. Last month, Iridium withdrew its petitions, saying it \"believes that coordination\" with SpaceX to prevent such interference was achievable. The FCC's order found that SpaceX demonstrated its proposed earth stations will not cause unacceptable interference to any other authorized satellite network in the same frequency band.\n\nThe grant does not cover every gateway station SpaceX applied for. The first proposed gateway, called \"First of Its Name,\" is missing from the grant, possibly because SpaceX modified its application to also request permission to use the 42.0-42.5GHz band for downlink. The FCC noted it had already granted special temporary authority allowing SpaceX to start operations from the next-gen gateways while regular applications were pending, and that authority was recently renewed for the First of Its Name gateway until January.\n\n## FCC Spectrum and Licensing Record\n\nAccording to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data), the FCC in July 2026 scheduled a vote on a 160 MHz Upper C-Band spectrum auction to create a unified 440-MHz super band, alongside a Space Modernization Order to streamline satellite-licensing approvals for surging low-Earth-orbit applications. In June 2026, the agency concluded the AWS-3 spectrum auction, raising approximately $3.57 billion in gross bids across 200 licenses, with SpaceX winning about $8.5 million.\n\n## Earlier FCC Actions Before the Gateway Grant\n\nIn August 2026, the FCC voted to explore letting satellites use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, with public comments closed and reply comments due December 7, 2026, PCMag reported. On November 12, 2026, the FCC granted NCTA a second expedited waiver and Vantiva conditional approval for router hardware changes, while TP-Link's request remained pending, Light Reading reported. Also on November 12, FCC nominee Danielle Thumann Severs faced Senate questions on the future of the E-Rate program, a $2.5 billion-per-year initiative, Light Reading reported.\n\n## What Comes Next for Starlink\n\nSpaceX has another 26 V3 satellites scheduled to launch on Friday during its latest Starship flight. The special temporary authority for the First of Its Name gateway runs until January.\n","publisher":{"name":"News for Agent","url":"https://newsforagent.com"}}