### FCC Grants Conditional Approval to Starlink for Mobile Phone Service

Starlink has received a green light to offer cell phone services, though the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has imposed certain conditions and deferred decisions on some parts of the application. The approval allows Starlink to provide Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) in areas across the United States not covered by terrestrial cellular networks, significantly expanding their existing service capabilities.

This newly granted permission enables SpaceX to utilize its fleet of 7,500 second-generation satellites, which were already in orbit for broadband services, to also support mobile communications. This will allow Starlink and T-Mobile to proceed with their collaborative plan to cover cellphone dead zones via satellite service. Specifically, SpaceX has been authorized to use the 1910-1915 MHz (Earth-to-space) and 1990-1995 MHz (space-to-Earth) frequency bands within the continental US, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, as per their lease agreement with T-Mobile.

The FCC order highlighted numerous benefits, including enhanced access to emergency services in otherwise unreachable locations. This was exemplified by SpaceX's emergency services provision during Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Beyond the US, Starlink has also received the go-ahead for direct-to-cell services in other countries, contingent upon acquiring the necessary authorizations from respective governments.

Starlink plans to roll out texting services this year, with voice and data services anticipated by 2025. Nevertheless, the FCC has yet to grant approval for Starlink to exceed certain emissions limits, which SpaceX argues are crucial for reliable real-time voice and video communications. The current approval mandates that Starlink coordinate with other spectrum users and halt transmissions if harmful interference is detected. Ben Longmier, SpaceX's senior director of satellite engineering, noted the company's ambitions to start employee beta service in the US shortly.

In a statement directed at cellular carriers, Longmier emphasized that partnering with Starlink's Direct to Cell initiative could eradicate all cellular dead zones for text and data services across entire countries, including coastal areas and islands.

The first Starlink satellites equipped with cellular capabilities launched in January 2024, and out of more than 2,600 Gen2 satellites in low Earth orbit, approximately 320 are ready to support the texting services expected to launch this year. The FCC's recent order also permits SpaceX to operate up to 7,500 second-generation satellites at lower altitudes of between 340 km and 360 km, compared to the previously approved range of 525 km to 535 km.

This allowance for lower altitude operation aims to deliver lower-latency satellite services to remote and rural areas lacking terrestrial wireless options. However, the FCC continues to defer action on SpaceX's request for an additional 22,488 satellites and mandated coordination with NASA to safeguard the International Space Station, visiting vehicles, and NASA’s mission launch windows.

Lower altitude operation is also expected to minimize debris risks and improve the satellite demise times in case of anomalies. The FCC stressed its ongoing monitoring of these operations, particularly regarding interference, orbital debris mitigation, and potential impacts on optical astronomy.

Opposition to the waiver of rules on out-of-band emission (OOBE) limits came from AT&T, Verizon, EchoStar, and Omnispace, all citing concerns over interference with terrestrial mobile networks. Consequently, the FCC opted to defer the OOBE waiver consideration, requiring SpaceX to adhere to the existing emissions limits, which SpaceX argued could negatively impact real-time communication reliability in emergency situations.