T-Mobile has announced the successful transmission of the first-ever wireless emergency alert (WEA) via satellite in the U.S.
Working with Starlink's satellite-to-smartphone technology, the advancement marks a critical step forward in ensuring that emergency alerts can reach even the most remote areas of the country.
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With more than 500,000 square miles of land, which is often mountainous or sparsely populated, making it unreachable by traditional cell towers, satellite-enabled alerts will bring life-saving information to areas previously cut off from critical warnings.
Last week, T-Mobile tested the system by sending a hypothetical evacuation alert, which was transmitted 217 miles into space and received by one of Starlink's 175 low-orbit satellites, which effectively functions as a space-based cell tower.
The satellite then broadcasted the alert to a designated region, where T-Mobile smartphones successfully received it within seconds. This pioneering system will soon allow emergency alerts to reach all mobile users, regardless of their wireless provider, including those using Verizon, AT&T, and other networks.
Mike Sievert, CEO, T-Mobile commented to the media, "This is one of those days, as the CEO of a wireless company, that makes me pause for a moment and reflect on how technology advancements and the work we’re doing is truly impacting life and death situations,".
The company highlights that a service like this could have made a huge difference in cases like the 2018 Camp Fire in Northern California. The town of Paradise was devastated by fire with 86 lives lost.
Many of the inhabitants lived in areas outside of cellular coverage, which meant they lost the ability to communicate after the fire destroyed cell towers. With more Starlink satellites set to launch in the coming months, T-Mobile plans to expand its satellite-to-smartphone service further. Beta testing is expected to begin soon, followed by a commercial launch.
Additional SpaceX launches are scheduled over the coming months to add more satellites to the current constellation, further blanketing the country with wireless coverage.
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