T-Mobile has partnered with SpaceX to eliminate dead spots using the space company’s Starlink satellite tech. SpaceX uses T-Mobile‘s Personal Communications Service (PCS) G-block spectrum to provide connectivity in over 500,000 square miles of the US that have no terrestrial or wireless communication signal.
…consumers cannot take advantage of the new potentially life-saving service unless the manufacturer of the equipment they already own and operate seeks modified equipment authorization. Worse, consumers have no ability to cause manufacturers to update their equipment authorizations – an inability with potentially severe consequences in the midst of an emergency when they need SCS connectivity most.
—Jameson Dempsey, Director Satellite Policy, Space X and Thomas Dombrowsky, Vice President, Government Affairs Engineering and Technology Policy, T-Mobile, April 2025
…it could also create confusion by resulting in uncertain consumer expectations – some compatible devices would work with SCS while others would not.
—Jameson Dempsey, Director Satellite Policy, Space X and Thomas Dombrowsky, Vice President, Government Affairs Engineering and Technology Policy, T-Mobile, April 2025
For now, only messaging is supported, but SpaceX previously said data services would be deployed in 2025. A T-Mobile exec recently hinted that data service would be low-impact. It looks like consumers might not have to wait much longer for data services, with the FCC filing mentioning that the service will allow customers to “send and receive limited data.”
As of the end of March, T-Mobile had “hundreds of thousands of beta customers.” It also looks like more phones than are listed on T-Mobile‘s website are now eligible for the beta, and the latest additions include the Motorola G series (2024 and later), Samsung Galaxy A14, A15, and A16, and Galaxy X Cover6 Pro.
With Verizon now offering satellite services to select customers and AT&T also making good progress, T-Mobile seemingly wants to have an edge over its rivals by supporting more phones than them.
