SpaceX receives conditional approval for direct-to-smartphone service

TAMPA, Fla. – The Federal Communications Commission gave SpaceX conditional approval on Nov. 26 to use Starlink broadband satellites to keep T-Mobile smartphone users connected in cellular dead zones across the United States.

SpaceX has permission to use T-Mobile’s cellular frequencies on up to 7,500 Starlink 2nd Generation satellites to provide supplemental coverage from space (SCS), provided this does not cause interference to other networks.

Of the more than 2,600 Gen2 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit, about 320 are equipped with a direct-to-smartphone payload, enough to enable the text messaging services SpaceX says it could launch this year.

The FCC has delayed deciding whether these satellites will be allowed to increase their radio emission power, which SpaceX says is necessary to support higher bandwidth features such as real-time voice and video calls.

The regulator said it continues to defer consideration of whether to grant SpaceX a permit for the remaining 22,488 satellites in its proposed Gen2 constellation.

However, the FCC is allowing SpaceX to operate Gen2 Starships at lower altitudes between 340 and 360 kilometers – instead of 525-535 kilometers – to reduce latency.

Operations at these lower altitudes are subject to coordination with NASA to protect the International Space Station and other missions.

SpaceX also has around 4,100 Gen1 Starlink satellites in orbit and has permission to operate up to 4,408 of them at a distance of around 540 to 570 kilometers, according to statistics from astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell.

Several satellite operators, including EchoStar, Omnispace and Amazon’s Project Kuiper, had opposed SpaceX’s request to provide SCS services or operate at lower altitudes because of interference issues.

New regulatory framework

The FCC’s conditional approval comes after the regulator set ground rules for SCS services in March, relegating them to secondary services to companies that offer mobile satellite services (MSS) using conventional frequencies already approved for use from space.

This means that an SCS operator must immediately cease operations if it affects an MSS provider or a terrestrial telecommunications company with primary rights.

The approval for SpaceX and T-Mobile also follows a temporary FCC license to provide emergency connectivity in Florida and North Carolina after Hurricanes Milton and Helene knocked out terrestrial cell towers.

According to T-Mobile, the space-based service was used to broadcast 120 wireless emergency alerts (WEA) from public safety agencies in Florida – hurricane warnings, evacuation messages, flood warnings – both ahead of Milton and during landfall.

“It also enabled the sending and receiving of over 100,000 SMS messages,” T-Mobile spokesman Jai Ferguson said via email.

When reached for comment, Ferguson said T-Mobile is still working on FCC approval.

SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment.

First of many?

While this is the first satellite-terrestrial SCS partnership to receive FCC approval, other companies have applications pending for review by the regulator, including AST SpaceMobile, which has worked with AT&T and Verizon in the US.

“This unique authorization is an exciting new development for the future of combined satellite and wireless communications,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement.

“And it won’t be the last time. Thanks to the bipartisan framework we adopted earlier this year, the FCC is actively promoting competition in the space economy by supporting more partnerships between terrestrial wireless carriers and satellite operators to create a unified network future that ends mobile deadlock.”

The FCC approval also enables SpaceX to offer direct-to-smartphone services in other countries – in coordination with local regulations.

In addition to T-Mobile, SpaceX has announced wireless partnerships with Rogers (Canada), One NZ (New Zealand), KDDI (Japan), Optus (Australia) and Salt (Switzerland).

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