The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday approved a collaboration between SpaceX’s Starlink division and T-Mobile to provide cell service to customers.
The approval licenses the partnership to provide supplemental internet coverage from space, extending coverage to areas unreachable by traditional cellular networks.
The partnership, first announced in 2022, is the first instance where the FCC has authorized a satellite operator to work in tandem with a wireless carrier. The operation utilizes flexible-use spectrum bands, typically reserved for terrestrial service.
FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel told Reuters: “The FCC is actively promoting competition in the space economy by supporting more partnerships between terrestrial mobile carriers and satellite operators to deliver on a single network future that will put an end to mobile dead zones.”…