Starlink received approval to provide Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) within the United States. This means that in areas not covered by terrestrial cellular networks, Starlink satellites can provide service to cell phones.

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

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.

Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell technology represents a significant leap forward in mobile telecommunications. By partnering with leading telecom companies around the world, including T-Mobile in the U.S., Starlink aims to bridge connectivity gaps that have long plagued rural and isolated areas.

T-Mobile plans already offer some of the best value in the business with their reasonable pricing and top-tier coverage. Now that supplemental Starlink service has been approved by the FCC, the value proposition has become even stronger.

Using satellites as a backup for cell service, and providing coverage in areas where traditional service doesn't cover, just took a big step forward.

However, as The Verge points out, there are some restrictions in the FCC filing. SpaceX cannot yet increase the radio emission power of its Starlink satellites. Companies such as