­The USA's telecoms regulator, the FCC has adopted revised rules to enable Wireless Communications Service (WCS) licensees' to use a total of 30 megahertz of underutilized spectrum in the 2.3 GHz band for wireless broadband services, while protecting the adjacent Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) operator Sirius XM Radio against harmful interference.

The revised rules are consistent with a compromise proposal between AT&T and Sirius XM designed to facilitate the efficient deployment and coexistence of the terrestrial mobile services and satellite radio.

Of the 30 megahertz of total spectrum, 20 megahertz may be used for mobile broadband services and 10 megahertz for fixed broadband services, with possible future use as downlink spectrum to serve mobile broadband devices.

The revised rules also provide Sirius XM greater certainty and flexibility by adopting conditions for identifying and resolving harmful interference to satellite radio operations on roadways and by relaxing the satellite radio licensee notification requirements for low-power terrestrial repeaters and for minor modifications to repeaters.

The Order also provides a limited extension of the WCS construction periods and restarts the WCS construction periods to enable WCS licensees to respond to the rule revisions while ensuring significant deployment of facilities in the near term. The Order also addresses a number of other technical issues raised in various petitions for reconsideration that were not the specific focus of the AT&T and Sirius-XM joint proposal.