SpaceX announced that it will start beta testing for its Starlink Direct-to-Cell service on January 27, 2025. This development follows the FCC's grant of a commercial license on November 26, 2024, which was largely influenced by Starlink's effective contributions during disaster recovery efforts post-Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The service enabled over 270,000 mobile phones to connect to the Starlink network on its first day, providing crucial communication support during times when terrestrial systems were down.
"Direct to Cell is still delivering thousands of messages while damaged terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure is restored. The swiftness with which the US FCC acted to enable this service was instrumental to its success."
"The United States Federal Communication Commission (FCC) granted Starlink a US commercial license for Direct-to-Cell operations on November 26, 2024."
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