The T-Mobile license is the first collaboration between a satellite operator and wireless carrier to be approved by the FCC to provide supplemental cell coverage from space. “The Commission recognized that satellite-to-device connectivity can support critical public interest benefits,

The satellite-to-phone service T-Mobile and Starlink first announced back in 2022 has gotten a lot closer to deployment. As SpaceNews and Reuters report, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted the companies conditional approval to provide T-Mobile subscribers coverage using Starlink satellites in locations that can't be reached by the carrier's network.

The FCC has granted SpaceX permission to go forward with plans to offer a direct-to-phone version of its Starlink satellite internet service, with

More details have now emerged regarding T-Mobile and SpaceX's Direct to Cell service. The FCC says that SpaceX has been authorised to operate 7,500 Gen2 Starlink satellites. The Commission has yet to decide on granting a waiver of the aggregate out-of-band power flux-density (PFD) limit of -120 dBW/m2/MHz.

The FCC approved T-Mobile and SpaceX's license to provide supplemental telecom coverage from space to eliminate dead zones.

What Happened: The FCC has granted SpaceX a U.S. commercial license for its Starlink Direct-to-Cell service. This license allows SpaceX to operate its Gen2 Starlink satellites for non-geostationary orbit fixed-satellite services.

In October, the FCC issued special permission to SpaceX and T-Mobile to use the Starlink constellation to broadcast emergency alerts and test basic texting capabilities in areas of North Carolina where Hurricane Helene had knocked out terrestrial cellular service.

Monday's satellite launch means SpaceX has enough direct-to-cell satellites in orbit to offer robust coverage. But it still needs FCC clearance to operate them commercially.