Elon Musk promises free Starlink emergency alerts for everyone, everywhere

People who are out of a cellular signal coverage will be able to receive emergency alerts via Starlink's satellite constellation for free no matter where they are, or if they are subscribers.

This is what Elon Musk is now promising as the quintessential overachiever. SpaceX is trying to get the FCC nod for its dead spot coverage partnership with T-Mobile, and is pointing out all the arguments it can find, such as:

Direct To Cell technology will be able to send emergency alerts to all wireless users in cellular dead zones, even if they haven’t signed up for the satellite-based service, including non-T-Mobile customers.

As usual, Elon Musk took this idea and ran with it. He is now promising that not only T-Mobile customers, but basically everyone with a smartphone, will be able to receive emergency alerts from the respective authorities. 

The availability of Starlink satellites for emergency alerts to anyone anywhere is, of course, "subject to approval by country governments," cautions Elon Musk. Given the pace of government approvals and the need for integration with their current emergency alert services, the "Starlink will provide emergency services access for mobile phones for people in distress for free" promise may take years to materialize.

Still, such a global service probably won't require much satellite capacity to implement and execute, but will put Elon Musk on the good side of many a government entity around the world.

Moreover, it could speed up the FCC approval of Starlink's direct-to-cell services with carriers like T-Mobile, just as it is facing interference opposition by Verizon and AT&T.

Apple's iPhones already come with Emergency SOS services via another satellite constellation company in a number of countries, but Starlink's global reach should take off-the-grid phone emergency alerts to the next level.