T-Mobile tests using Starlink to send emergency alerts you can get off the grid

T-Mobile, which is moving with SpaceX to fto radical substance and marque telephone calls implicit satellite, says it has successfully sent a trial exigency alert via a Starlink satellite. Satellite alerts tin assistance guarantee that radical person captious connection erstwhile they’re retired of wireless sum range, and T-Mobile claims this is the archetypal clip a wireless exigency alert has been sent implicit outer successful the US.

“At 5:13 PM PT connected Thursday, September 5th, T-Mobile initiated a trial alert for a hypothetical evacuation notice,” according to T-Mobile. “The alert was sent 217 miles into abstraction wherever it was received by 1 of the much than 175 Starlink direct-to-smartphone satellites presently successful debased world orbit that efficaciously relation arsenic compartment towers successful space. The alert was past broadcast to a geographic country impacted by the hypothetical evacuation announcement and received by a T-Mobile smartphone.” T-Mobile says it took “just seconds” to queue up the connection and present it implicit satellite.

In 2022, T-Mobile and SpaceX announced a concern that would fto radical text, marque telephone calls, and usage information connected their T-Mobile phones utilizing Starlink’s satellites. According to Starlink’s Direct to Cell website, the quality to substance implicit outer volition rotation retired starting this year, and T-Mobile said successful January that the work volition grow to dependable and information “in the coming years.” In Wednesday’s blog post, T-Mobile said that it “intends to beta trial the work earlier launching it commercially.”

AT&T and Verizon are besides gathering retired satellite-to-smartphone services, and Apple and Google connection outer services for iPhone and Pixel smartphones.