T-Mobile uses SpaceX Starlink satellites for emergency alerts in North Carolina

T-Mobile US has started using SpaceX Starlink satellites to send emergency alerts in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. This marks T-Mobile's first use of satellite capabilities for disaster response. The Federal Communications Commission granted T-Mobile temporary authority to use Starlink for alerts. Most of T-Mobile's network is operational, with less than 1% of sites still down in challenging areas. SpaceX announced that the satellites are broadcasting alerts and may test SMS services for T-Mobile customers. North Carolina has the highest percentage of mobile sites out of service at 16.9%.