SpaceX said its Starlink Direct to Cell technology, which allows regular smartphones to connect directly to satellites, could be used for emergency alerts in remote regions where regular cellular coverage is not available. Moreover, all users will receive notifications via satellite, and not just subscribers of Starlink and its partner T-Mobile.
Image source: Starlink
SpaceX mentioned this future feature in a letter sent Friday to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which will decide whether or not to give SpaceX permission to commercially launch its Starlink Direct to Cell technology. The letter notes that SpaceX and its partner, T-Mobile, are developing and planning to launch a cellular communications system via Starlink amid “enthusiastic support and impatience from T-Mobile subscribers, including first responders.”
The technology would use orbiting satellites to transmit data to phones on the ground, allowing consumers in “dead zones” to receive a cellular signal. SpaceX has already launched more than 130 Direct to Cell-enabled Starlink satellites into orbit, which have been able to transmit radio signals to unmodified iPhone, Samsung and other smartphones.
In a letter published Friday, SpaceX added: “Both companies [SpaceX and T-Mobile] are especially excited about the service’s ability to provide wireless emergency alerts to everyone, including non-T-Mobile customers in areas without terrestrial coverage.” In other words, Starlink cellular technology promises to benefit all consumers in emergency situations—but only if SpaceX gets permission to launch it from the FCC. SpaceX is also asking for “expedited approval” to obtain a license to commercially operate its Starlink cellular technology.
SpaceX’s plan faces opposition from rivals including AT&T and Verizon, which argue that Starlink’s cellular technology could cause radio interference. Earlier this month, carriers called on the FCC to deny SpaceX permission to operate Starlink satellites outside normal radio frequency parameters. In response, SpaceX told the FCC that many users would be unable to access its Starlink cellular system if AT&T and Verizon get their way. The growing feud comes as AT&T and Verizon plan to attract rival satellite operator AST SpaceMobile, which intends to launch its own satellite internet for smartphones – beta testing could begin as early as December.
Meanwhile, T-Mobile plans to open up Starlink satellite connectivity to its subscribers as early as this fall, first for text messaging via satellite and then for voice and Internet connectivity in 2025. The operator previously said it would offer Starlink satellite service free to subscribers of its most popular plans.