**Bellevue, Washington. December 16, 2024. **

What's new: Following approval by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), T-Mobile has opened enrollment for a beta program for T-Mobile Starlink, a direct-to-cellular satellite service that will help eliminate network dead zones by providing coverage to the 500,000 square miles of land in the United States not covered by terrestrial cell towers.

Why it matters: T-Mobile and Starlink are preparing to beta test a new service that promises to eliminate dead zones. By adding satellites - basically cell towers located in space - to T-Mobile's network, the Un-carrier is taking a huge step toward delivering its vision of coverage that goes beyond what's expected.

Who it's for: All T-Mobile customers - including businesses and first responders - can sign up for access to the beta launch.

The elimination of dead zones is closer than ever thanks to cell towers in space, also known as direct-to-cell satellites, and today a new milestone has been reached. T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) has opened registration for a beta program launching early this year, while Starlink, a partner of The Un-carrier and a pioneer in satellite technology, continues to launch direct-to-cellular satellites into orbit at an accelerated pace.

T-Mobile Starlink is the world's first large constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites linked to terrestrial cellular spectrum, enabling the phone in your pocket to work in areas of the U.S. which have never had, and probably never will have, terrestrial coverage,” said Mike Katz, president of Marketing, Strategy and Products at T-Mobile. "It's a genuine and revolutionary engineering breakthrough, meaning we're one step closer to ensuring T-Mobile customers can be confident that wherever they are, as long as they can see the sky, they'll have T-Mobile coverage."

Registration is now open and available for anyone interested in staying informed or trying T-Mobile Starlink for themselves. The T-Mobile Starlink beta program is open and free to all T-Mobile postpaid voice customers with a compatible phone. The beta program is a historic way to glimpse a not-so-distant future, virtually free of cellular dead zones. Initially, T-Mobile Starlink will allow texting, and in the future, voice and data services will be included.

Given the fundamental role that emergency services agencies and individuals have in protecting our communities, T-Mobile will prioritize this segment for the beta program.

With Starlink’s direct-to-cellular satellite constellation designed specifically for integration with T-Mobile’s terrestrial network, the experience is expected to be more user-friendly than other satellite messaging services currently available on the market. For example, users won't have to lift their phone to look for a signal. Both incoming and outgoing messages are sent and received just like any other message.

The upcoming beta test is a major step in the Enjoy Coverage Beyond Expectations from T-Mobile® initiative, The Un-carrier's vision to offer the best service virtually anywhere in the continental U.S. Hawaii, parts of Alaska, Puerto Rico, and territorial waters, even outside the signal of T-Mobile's terrestrial cellular network. Are you in off-grid areas? No problem. Are you on a plane, abroad or at the latest baseball game? T-Mobile has you covered.

Service when it matters most
Even though it's not yet ready for full commercial service, T-Mobile Starlink was temporarily activated to provide a crucial communication option for those who had no other means to contact emergency services and their loved ones during Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Even without the full constellation implemented, customers with compatible devices could receive essential emergency alerts and send and receive messages when satellites were overhead.

The system proved helpful to many people who lost access to mobile or broadband service and provided essential information that will help further improve service.

**Sign up for the beta program **
The beta program will initially include text messaging, and in the future, it plans to incorporate voice and data services.

Consumers can get more information and Pre-Register here.

Business Customers and emergency service agencies can Pre-Register here

The vision for universal coverage.
Once fully implemented, via satellites providing direct cellular service, T-Mobile and Starlink anticipate being able to cover well over half a million square miles across the country and vast ocean expanses unreachable by cell towers. By expanding connectivity to these remote areas, companies are working to eliminate areas without cellular networks and the need for expensive satellite phones, enabling Un-carrier customers to stay connected virtually wherever they go.

As T-Mobile and Starlink continue to work to deliver global connectivity, the companies welcome wireless providers around the world to join their growing alliance, which aims to provide reciprocal roaming to all participating providers. So far, KDDI (Japan), Optus (Australia), One NZ (New Zealand), Salt (Switzerland), Entel (Chile and Peru), and Rogers (Canada) are some of the companies that have agreed to join the cause and launch direct-to-cellular service technology. Learn more about the alliance and how providers can join at direct.starlink.com.

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