FCC Lets Starlink Provide Service To Cellphones In Area Hit By Hurricane (arstechnica.com)
- Reference: 0175207349
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/10/07/2037250/fcc-lets-starlink-provide-service-to-cellphones-in-area-hit-by-hurricane
- Source link: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/10/fcc-lets-starlink-provide-service-to-cell-phones-in-areas-hit-by-hurricane/
> The Federal Communications Commission gave Starlink and T-Mobile emergency authority to [1]provide satellite-to-phone coverage in areas hit by Hurricane Helene . "SpaceX and T-Mobile have been given emergency special temporary authority by the FCC to enable Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capability to provide coverage for cell phones in the affected areas of Hurricane Helene," SpaceX [2]said yesterday . "The satellites have already been enabled and started broadcasting emergency alerts to cell phones on all networks in North Carolina. In addition, we may test basic texting (SMS) capabilities for most cell phones on the T-Mobile network in North Carolina."
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> SpaceX warned of limits since the service isn't ready for a commercial rollout. "SpaceX's direct-to-cell constellation has not been fully deployed, so all services will be delivered on a best-effort basis," the company said. Starlink is being used to provide wireless emergency alerts to cell phones from all carriers in North Carolina, [3]according to Ben Longmier , senior director of satellite engineering for SpaceX. "We are also closely monitoring Hurricane Milton and standing by ready to take action in Florida," he wrote.
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> The FCC [4]said (PDF) the approval "enabl[es] SpaceX to operate Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) in the 1910-1915 MHz and 1990-1995 MHz frequency bands leased from T-Mobile in areas affected by the Hurricane Helene." An FCC spokesperson told Ars that the approval is for all areas affected by Hurricane Helene, although it's only active in North Carolina so far. The FCC also [5]said (PDF) that it is granting "special temporary authorities to licensees and issuing rule waivers to help communications providers maintain and restore service, support emergency operations, and assist public safety, including search and rescue efforts." Separately, the FCC last week [6]waived (PDF) certain Lifeline program eligibility rules to help people in [7]disaster areas (PDF) apply for discounted phone and broadband service.
[1] https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/10/fcc-lets-starlink-provide-service-to-cell-phones-in-areas-hit-by-hurricane/
[2] https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1842988427777605683
[3] https://x.com/longmier/status/1842990154719355037
[4] https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-406257A1.pdf
[5] https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-406255A1.pdf
[6] https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-406090A1.pdf
[7] https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-406090A1.pdf
Re: (Score:1, Insightful)
Wow. Nice links to crazy people. Get out much?
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
The actual craziness wasn’t on Elon’s side.
One, the FAA was prohibiting helicopter deliveries of StarLink satellite communication dishes to those in need unless they had officially electronically requested them. But how can those without electronic access make such requests in the first place? This catch-22 could only be resolved by Elon contacting Pete Buttigieg, who untangled the mess.
Two, keep in mind the back-story that helps explain the lack of trust. StarLink won a contract years ago to
Re: (Score:1)
The federal government doesn't want to help, nor do they wany anyone else to help. They want to run these people off their land, just like they did with the Lahaina wildfires. Wealthy powerful interests want the land on the cheap, and this is how they'll get it.
Re: (Score:2)
> The federal government doesn't want to help, nor do they wany anyone else to help. They want to run these people off their land, just like they did with the Lahaina wildfires. Wealthy powerful interests want the land on the cheap, and this is how they'll get it.
I think the land is already pretty cheap. Hence some of the poorest people among the working class living there.
The party got their kickback (Score:1)
> And the FCC contract that was reapportioned to other bidders? It’s connected zero locations so far.
That's irrelevant. What is important here is that the other bidders have already made contributions to Democratic candidates. The party got their kickback.
Re:A little background (Score:4, Informative)
> NC would have almost 20K more Starlinks if the FCC hadn't revoked their grant for supplying rural broadband.
The grant for supplying rural broadband was revoked because they did not demonstrate the 100 down/20 Mbps up baud rate required by the contract. They delivered 53 Mbps down/9.7 Mbps up. SpaceX requested that the rules be waived because Starlink was so utterly cool they didn't need to follow the rules, and anyway they promised to do better someday, but the FCC denied their request.
> [1]Trump [x.com] coordinated with Musk to get Starlink dishes into the affected areas.
Despite the statement in the tweet, Trump had nothing to do with it.
[1] https://x.com/DC_Draino/status/1840816600238473558
Re: A little background (Score:2)
Free advertising.
Wrong solution (Score:3)
The FCC needs to require cell phone providers have backup power that can maintain service when the grid is down. If a licensed radio is offline for more than a few hours they should lose their license. Those towers had one hours worth of battery and no alternative. The failure of the communications system in North Carolina knocked 911 offline for days and a lot of people died.
Re: (Score:2)
You forgot to say why going space-based is the wrong solution, instead of clearly the best solution.
The sweetest payback? Competent compassion. (Score:1, Informative)
StarLink won a contract 2022 to deliver thousands of the devices to the hurricane Helene region as part of an FCC program to bring internet to underserved areas, plus many thousands more to regions throughout the country.
Subsequently, in December 2023, three Democrats on the FCC top committee voted to rescind the contract. Why? They claimed StarLink couldn’t be trusted to sufficiently ramp up production and deliver.
Yet StarLink is right now producing 7000 units a day, hooking up folks worldwide, and h
Re: (Score:2)
> And the FCC contract that was reapportioned to other bidders? It’s connected zero locations so far.
And the new recipients of federal funds are well behaved government contractors. They do all the paperwork and make the proper kickbacks to the democratic party and its candidates.
Re: (Score:2)
> StarLink won a contract 2022
2020, actually.
> to deliver thousands of the devices to the hurricane Helene region as part of an FCC program to bring internet to underserved areas, plus many thousands more to regions throughout the country.
A contract that was revoked when it turned out StarLink couldn't deliver the required speed. The company running the contract requested a waiver of the requirements, but the FCC didn't agree.
The FCC also commented that the service required people to buy a $600 satellite dish to receive internet, so despite the government paying for the rural internet, the people being served still had to pay.
> Subsequently, in December 2023, three Democrats on the FCC top committee voted to rescind the contract.
Nice trick, since the contract was rescinded in 2022.
Re: (Score:1)
Africa is off the hook now?
Re: (Score:2)
You've got it wrong. According to that mad lady from Georgia, the hurricanes are actually caused by the Fed now.
I suppose the Jewish Space Lasers are occupied elsewhere.
Re: Mexico (Score:2)
They'll track every 911 usage like this and turn it into a positive PR story. (Nothing wrong with that I guess.)