For several months, Elon Musk’s satellite company, Starlink, has been seeking federal regulatory approval to provide direct satellite signals to mobile phone services. Established telecom giants like AT&T and Verizon have been lobbying vigorously against this move, arguing that it could disrupt existing services. However, when Hurricane Helene struck, Starlink quickly deployed over 1,000 terminal antennas to the affected areas. This swift action has helped pave the way for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to approve a partnership between Starlink and T-Mobile to test satellite phone services in hurricane-damaged regions. While this expansion offers opportunities for Starlink, it has also sparked ongoing debates and controversies regarding the political implications involved.
In a report by The Washington Post, T-Mobile’s Consumer Group President, Jon Freier, described their testing program with Starlink, allowing T-Mobile customers to receive emergency alerts, send messages, and make calls for free via Starlink on their smartphones. The testing service has already sent over 100,000 messages and was launched in Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton. Freier noted that if it weren’t for Hurricane Helene, they likely would not have moved into large-scale testing so swiftly, as Starlink might have still been bogged down by regulatory hurdles.
Musk stated on X that the decision to support the deployment of 1,000 antennas came at the suggestion of former President Trump, to whom he has remained loyal throughout the election process. Musk’s super PAC has spent nearly $33 million since August in support of Trump.
However, Musk’s relationship with the Biden administration has been strained. Some critics are questioning whether Starlink’s relief efforts have ulterior motives, given that the so-called “free” broadband service only lasts for a month and requires affected residents to purchase terminal antennas for several hundred dollars. New Jersey Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone criticized Musk, stating that he is “shamelessly exploiting a hurricane.”
Starlink announced on the 11th that it would extend the free usage period from 30 days until the end of the year. Musk and Republican allies are now placing the blame on the Biden administration for allegedly hindering Starlink’s development. On the 7th, James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, revealed that they are investigating whether the FCC blocked nearly $1 billion in federal funding meant for Starlink’s rural broadband expansion for political reasons in 2022. Musk has publicly lamented that “if the FCC hadn’t blocked this funding, it could have saved lives in North Carolina.” At the time, the FCC acknowledged that Starlink’s technology had promise but failed to meet broadband speed requirements typically expected of satellite operators.
