Space — The final frontier for AI connectivity

“Space isn’t just the final frontier, it’s the ‘ultimate high ground’.”
Chad Wolf Former Acting Secretary of Homeland Security.

In December 2025, President Donald Trump signed a Presidential Directive ordering federal agencies to begin planning to reallocate the 7.125–7.4 GHz spectrum band from federal use to full-power commercial 6G use. The target spectrum was 275 MHz (called the upper mid-C-band). The directive had clear objectives: “to win the global race for 6G”. In January 2026, trials by Nokia confirmed the suitability of the 6-8 GHz bands for directly reaching mobiles inside homes from cell sites. What is more, a timeline has been set: The Trump Administration wants at least 3 commercial devices to be ready in this band for the 2028 LA Olympics. Nokia is already testing this band under T-Mobile for Validation and Interference measurements using FCC permissions.

The presidential directive also included a study of the use of the 4.4 GHz band (4.4-4.94) and the 2.8 GHz band for full-power 6G.

Why the divergence from the WRC-23 approach?
India, aligning with WRC-23, has earmarked the 6.425-7.125 band for 6G applications. So why is the US taking a different approach, which is unique as things stand today? The answer lies in the availability of wide, contiguous channels: they support bandwidth-heavy services like AI, robotics, and Immersive Extended Reality (XR), which require large, contiguous blocks of spectrum. These bands also allow much higher power emission, which is needed to reach direct mobile devices.

Why an early focus on 6G?
It became evident to data observers that GenAI applications, including LLMs, push large amounts of data over the uplink for real-time processing, which 5G networks are not designed to handle. So the problem is getting exacerbated on the uplink side, and it is estimated that by 2030, the inability to handle AI traffic will lead to losses of over 1.5 trillion USD. The 6G architecture for large-bandwidth channels is seen as a necessary adjunct to the growth of AI.

LEO constellations to leverage the golden band for 6G for advanced AI applications
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems are actively considering the 7.125 to 7.4 GHz frequency range to expand next-generation connectivity, such as direct-to-device communications using either satellite or terrestrial re-transmitters. In May 2026, the USA’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration ( NTIA) declared the 7.125 to 7.4 GHz band to be of primary focus for 6G.

TRAI Consultation Paper on Satellite Communications Service Networks- Where is the focus on 6G?
In the meantime, TRAI’s consultation paper on Satellite Communications Networks (SCN), which closed on May 13, 2026, invited comments on the use of various frequency bands, a matter that becomes critical amid fast-paced developments unfolding worldwide. Of particular interest is Q9 of the consultation paper, which addresses whether Direct-to-Device connectivity (D2D) via satellites should be permitted. As expected, a bulk of respondents have said that they support D2D connectivity. A cursory examination of comments indicates that neither the new 6G bands nor the increase in AI traffic has received due focus.

NAB 2026- Broadcasters crossing swords
At NAB 2026 (April 2026), the broadcasters clearly opposed the early auction of the upper C-band (3.98 to 4.2 GHz), which was the only band left to them after the lower C-Band was taken away, and even new satellites were launched by Intelsat and SES to use this remaining band. They are also against subsuming all available bands for 6G or AI traffic. In fact, the NAB has emphasized that “broadcasters have ‘exhausted their options’. Moving to Ku-band satellite or terrestrial fiber results in prohibitive costs, higher operational risks, and vulnerability to rain fade”.

So where does it leave us? Is the increase in AI traffic not real?
Everyone is aware that the increase in traffic due to streaming, AI search, and rendition is now a major, unignorable factor, and it is accelerating at a furious pace. Hence, the Governments need to act fast and well in advance. And this last battle will be fought in space.