The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has just granted SpaceX the ability to provide direct-to-cell coverage to T-Mobile customers. This means that the provider’s users can still send text messages, even if they’re outside the network’s cell coverage, by using the company’s satellite constellation to communicate.
SpaceX Lets T-Mobile Customers Send Text Messages via Satellite
The FCC (PDF) has finally given approval for SpaceX to provide direct-to-cellular services within the US, and the company’s partnership with T-Mobile means its users could soon send text messages even if they’re outside the range of land-based cell sites.
We’ve had satellite phones for decades now and even Apple ismaking satellite connections workwith the iPhone 14 and later models, but SpaceX’s direct-to-cell service is different as it doesn’t require any special smartphone model or extra equipment.
This isn’t the first time the US will get SpaceX’s satellite services for providing smartphone signals, as the company has previously received permission from the FCC to use this service when the hurricanes Helene and Milton ravaged Florida and North Carolina. During that time, it’s been reported that the company allowed more than 27,000 users to have text messaging capabilities despite the lack of a signal, and that over 250,000 messages went through the company’s satellites during that limited time.
According to the FCC, direct-to-cell communications “will yield many benefits, including an increase in access to emergency services in areas where consumers would otherwise not have the capability to access a terrestrial network to call or text 911.”
You Don’t Need an iPhone to Use Direct-to-Cellular Services
Unlike the satellite services that Apple advertises, which requires an iPhone 14 or newer, SpaceX’s direct-to-cellular services will work as long as your phone is LTE-capable and your network supports it. You’ll thus have the option to send text messages using Starlink satellites when you’re outside your provider’s coverage.
