The Federal Communications Commission granted permission to Starlink and T-Mobile to make satellite text messaging services available to Florida residents ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall. In an announcement about the The companies will also enable basic texting for T-Mobile subscribers, allowing them to send and receive text messages even if they are disconnected from their carrier’s network in the midst of a storm, as well as provide support in emergencies. You can also send text messages to 911.
SpaceX said the companies are delivering more than 10,000 Starlink kits in response to Hurricane Helen while enabling Direct to Cell for Florida. A few days ago, the FCC authorized T-Mobile and Starlink to launch Direct to Cell service in North Carolina, where more than half of the cell phone towers were temporarily shut down due to the hurricane.
Starlink and T-Mobile’s Direct to Cell services have not yet been fully rolled out. They only sent and received their first text message using the technology in January. And T-Mobile, which aims to launch its messaging service this year, announced it has rolled out an “initial test version” of its messaging service in hurricane-hit areas.
Users can tell if their phone is connected to a Starlink satellite by seeing only one or two signal bars and seeing “T-Mobile SpaceX” in the network name. The private space company said that if a message is not sent once, it must be manually attempted to be resent, and that the service works best outdoors. If users don’t have safe access to open spaces, they can also try sending messages indoors near a window.
In addition to the thousands (>10,000) Starlink kits we are providing in response to Hurricane Helen. @starlink with the team @TMobile We activated our Direct to Cell satellite and provided emergency alerts to all telephone and carriers in the affected area.
of @FCC There are also…
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 8, 2024
