AT&T has some considerations about Starlink and T-Cellular’s satellite-to-cellular plans

AT&T filed some considerations with the Federal Communications Fee (FCC) on Thursday over T-Cellular and Starlink proprietor SpaceX’s plans to let cell phones connect with Starlink satellites (through Ars Technica).

In its submitting, AT&T argues that SCS, or “supplemental protection from area,” shouldn’t inhibit terrestrial wi-fi service and that the FCC “should prioritize” defending terrestrial networks, and that T-Cellular and SpaceX’s proposals don’t have sufficient details about potential interference. “The Candidates’ technical showings are woefully inadequate concerning the chance of dangerous interference posed by their deliberate SCS deployments,” AT&T mentioned. “SpaceX and T-Cellular’s functions fall far wanting assembly the edge for waiver and can’t be granted of their present state.”

AT&T’s submitting was a part of a name for feedback from the FCC on T-Cellular and SpaceX’s plans for the satellite-to-cellular service, which had been introduced in August 2022. The concept is that you simply’d be capable of connect with SpaceX’s second-generation Starlink satellites set to launch this yr out of your cell phone to do issues like textual content or ship MMS messages.

T-Cellular and SpaceX’s service isn’t anticipated to launch in beta till someday earlier than the tip of this yr. But when the FCC throws up roadblocks following this name for feedback, we could be ready even longer.