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In response to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. Starlink and T-Mobile have teamed up to provide emergency text messaging via satellite. This collaboration enables basic texting (SMS) capabilities in areas where traditional communication networks are down due to damaged or overloaded cell towers.
The service allows users to receive emergency alerts, report emergencies, and contact loved ones, even when their networks are not responding.
Unlike Apple’s Emergency SOS service, which is limited to iPhone 14 and later models, the Starlink and T-Mobile partnership extends this feature to all smartphones on the T-Mobile network.
This proactive solution leverages technology to facilitate communication during crisis situations.
John Saw, T-Mobile’s chief technology officer, pointed out in a posting to the X social-media platform that the system should work even in areas without commercial power or terrestrial cell coverage.
Satellite texting could be a lifesaver in areas of the wildfire zone where cell towers have been knocked out of service. “Can’t burn down a tower when there is no tower,” Ben Longmier, SpaceX’s senior director of satellite engineering, said on X.
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