FCC Lets Starlink Provide Service To Cellphones In Area Hit By Hurricane (arstechnica.com) 12
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: The Federal Communications Commission gave Starlink and T-Mobile emergency authority to provide satellite-to-phone coverage in areas hit by Hurricane Helene. "SpaceX and T-Mobile have been given emergency special temporary authority by the FCC to enable Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capability to provide coverage for cell phones in the affected areas of Hurricane Helene," SpaceX said yesterday. "The satellites have already been enabled and started broadcasting emergency alerts to cell phones on all networks in North Carolina. In addition, we may test basic texting (SMS) capabilities for most cell phones on the T-Mobile network in North Carolina."
SpaceX warned of limits since the service isn't ready for a commercial rollout. "SpaceX's direct-to-cell constellation has not been fully deployed, so all services will be delivered on a best-effort basis," the company said. Starlink is being used to provide wireless emergency alerts to cell phones from all carriers in North Carolina, according to Ben Longmier, senior director of satellite engineering for SpaceX. "We are also closely monitoring Hurricane Milton and standing by ready to take action in Florida," he wrote.
The FCC said (PDF) the approval "enabl[es] SpaceX to operate Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) in the 1910-1915 MHz and 1990-1995 MHz frequency bands leased from T-Mobile in areas affected by the Hurricane Helene." An FCC spokesperson told Ars that the approval is for all areas affected by Hurricane Helene, although it's only active in North Carolina so far. The FCC also said (PDF) that it is granting "special temporary authorities to licensees and issuing rule waivers to help communications providers maintain and restore service, support emergency operations, and assist public safety, including search and rescue efforts." Separately, the FCC last week waived (PDF) certain Lifeline program eligibility rules to help people in disaster areas (PDF) apply for discounted phone and broadband service.
SpaceX warned of limits since the service isn't ready for a commercial rollout. "SpaceX's direct-to-cell constellation has not been fully deployed, so all services will be delivered on a best-effort basis," the company said. Starlink is being used to provide wireless emergency alerts to cell phones from all carriers in North Carolina, according to Ben Longmier, senior director of satellite engineering for SpaceX. "We are also closely monitoring Hurricane Milton and standing by ready to take action in Florida," he wrote.
The FCC said (PDF) the approval "enabl[es] SpaceX to operate Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) in the 1910-1915 MHz and 1990-1995 MHz frequency bands leased from T-Mobile in areas affected by the Hurricane Helene." An FCC spokesperson told Ars that the approval is for all areas affected by Hurricane Helene, although it's only active in North Carolina so far. The FCC also said (PDF) that it is granting "special temporary authorities to licensees and issuing rule waivers to help communications providers maintain and restore service, support emergency operations, and assist public safety, including search and rescue efforts." Separately, the FCC last week waived (PDF) certain Lifeline program eligibility rules to help people in disaster areas (PDF) apply for discounted phone and broadband service.
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I suppose the Jewish Space Lasers are occupied elsewhere.
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The actual craziness wasn’t on Elon’s side.
One, the FAA was prohibiting helicopter deliveries of StarLink satellite communication dishes to those in need unless they had officially electronically requested them. But how can those without electronic access make such requests in the first place? This catch-22 could only be resolved by Elon contacting Pete Buttigieg, who untangled the mess.
Two, keep in mind the back-story that helps explain the lack of trust. StarLink won a contract years ago to
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The federal government doesn't want to help, nor do they wany anyone else to help. They want to run these people off their land, just like they did with the Lahaina wildfires. Wealthy powerful interests want the land on the cheap, and this is how they'll get it.
Wrong solution (Score:3)
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The sweetest payback? Competent compassion. (Score:2)
StarLink won a contract 2022 to deliver thousands of the devices to the hurricane Helene region as part of an FCC program to bring internet to underserved areas, plus many thousands more to regions throughout the country.
Subsequently, in December 2023, three Democrats on the FCC top committee voted to rescind the contract. Why? They claimed StarLink couldn’t be trusted to sufficiently ramp up production and deliver.
Yet StarLink is right now producing 7000 units a day, hooking up folks worldwide, and h