"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," said FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement.

The FCC also granted Starlink's request to provide service to cell phones (aka "direct-to-cell") outside the United States. For non-US operations, Starlink must obtain authorization from the relevant governments. The non-US operations are authorized in various sub-bands between 1429 MHz and 2690 MHz.

The FCC approved T-Mobile and SpaceX's license to provide supplemental telecom coverage from space to eliminate dead zones.

T-Mobile plans already offer some of the best value in the business with their reasonable pricing and top-tier coverage. Now that supplemental Starlink service has been approved by the FCC, the value proposition has become even stronger. Apple's iOS 18.2 update is coming out in early December with big changes to the Mail app. Here's what's new.

Using satellites as a backup for cell service, and providing coverage in areas where traditional service doesn't cover, just took a big step forward.

SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network has earned a groundbreaking Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval, marking a significant step toward delivering direct-to-phone connectivity for T-Mobile customers.

The companies announced a partnership in 2022 and the first set of satellites for the venture were launched into low-Earth orbit in January.