Image: Starlink
As Winter Storm Fern bears down on large swaths of the U.S., T-Mobile is temporarily unlocking SpaceX’s Starlink-powered cellular service for free, giving customers a satellite-based fallback when traditional networks go dark. The move was first reported by PCMag, which said T-Mobile has activated its T-Satellite service at no cost for customers in potentially impacted areas.
Under normal circumstances, T-Satellite costs $10 per month as an add-on. For the duration of the storm, however, T-Mobile says satellite text messaging has been enabled automatically for customers with compatible devices in affected regions. Supported phones include recent iPhone models, along with newer Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel handsets.
According to T-Mobile, the service is designed to provide basic connectivity if terrestrial cell towers are knocked offline. “The service supports basic text messaging if traditional connectivity is disrupted, helping people stay in touch with loved ones,” the carrier said, adding that T-Satellite can also broadcast Wireless Emergency Alerts to compatible phones, regardless of wireless provider.
Winter Storm Fern is expected to bring heavy snow and destructive ice across as many as 34 states through Monday, impacting the South, Midwest, and Northeast. While Starlink’s Direct to Cell technology can support limited data use for select apps like Google Maps and even WhatsApp video calls, T-Mobile appears to be restricting free access to text messaging only, likely to manage network load during the storm.
The system currently relies on more than 650 Starlink Direct to Cell satellites in low Earth orbit, forming the first-generation constellation for satellite-to-phone service. That network is set to grow significantly. Starlink recently received FCC approval to launch up to 15,000 additional satellites to expand cellular coverage, and SpaceX has already outlined plans for a second-generation Direct to Cell system in 2027 that promises speeds up to 100 times faster than today’s offering.
Starlink’s satellite cellular service is already proving its value. According to the company’s 2025 progress report, over 12 million people have been connected through the service at least once, with more than 6 million users relying on it each month in areas without reliable terrestrial coverage.
T-Mobile isn’t the only player in the satellite connectivity race. Apple and Google both offer built-in satellite messaging on newer devices, while Verizon has its own emergency satellite features. Still, T-Mobile’s Starlink partnership stands out for its scale and its ability to activate service broadly during emergencies like Winter Storm Fern.
