The 3-0 vote adopts performance-based protections for geostationary satellites while giving non-geostationary systems more flexibility in the United States.
The FCC said replacing late-1990s EPFD limits with updated criteria could deliver up to seven times more broadband capacity and more than $2 billion in economic benefits.
Officials say the change should improve speeds, costs and reliability, especially in rural areas, while preserving operator coordination and guiding future licensing and compliance procedures.
The FCC predicts a 7x satellite capacity boost. When will rural America actually see faster and more affordable internet service?
By overhauling its satellite rules now, is the U.S. setting a new global standard or simply igniting a regulatory space race?
With satellite rules relaxed, can 'good-faith' deals prevent a chaotic 'Wild West' from emerging in Earth's crowded orbit?