In race to provide internet from space, companies ask FCC for about 38,000 new broadband satellites

A flurry of space companies filed requests with the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday for new or expanded broadband networks, asking the regulator for approval of nearly 38,000 total satellites.

Amazon, Astra, Boeing, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Hughes Network, OneWeb, SpinLaunch, and Telesat are among those asking the FCC for access to what is known as V-band spectrum, a range of frequency that the companies hope to use to provide global broadband service from space.

The FCC’s deadline for its latest processing round of proposals to use V-band was Thursday at midnight, driving the influx of applications.