A new report says that SpaceX is trying to block Apple’s expansion plans for iPhone satellite messaging by pressuring the FCC to intervene.
Elon Musk’s close relationship with both the White House and the FCC chair could give SpaceX a substantial advantage in an ongoing battle between the two companies for radio spectrum …
Apple’s satellite messaging services
Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite service first launched for the iPhone 14 back in 2022, and is now a standard feature in subsequent iPhones. It enables messages to be sent to 911 in parts of the country where no mobile coverage is available.
The service has been credited with saving lives on multiple occasions since it launched.
iPhone satellite comms has twice had functionality boosted since then. In 2023, roadside assistance was added for those experiencing car trouble in remote areas. The following year, Apple added Messages via satellite, to let iPhone users contact family and friends when no mobile service is available – this can be especially valuable when natural disasters like severe storms take out mobile masts.
Apple’s satellite connectivity is provided through a partnership with Globalstar, and Apple last year provided the company with more than a billion dollars to expand the service.
SpaceX trying to block expansion
As usage increases, Apple needs more bandwidth for the service, and Globalstar applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to use more radio frequencies.
The Wall Street Journal reports that SpaceX has asked the FCC to delay this because it is competing for use of the same frequencies for its Starlink satellite broadband service.
Apple is clashing with Elon Musk in its push to eliminate cellphone dead spots with satellite technology […]
To build capacity, the companies are competing for valuable spectrum rights—airwaves to carry their signals—which are in limited supply. Apple’s outer-space investments have drawn Musk’s ire, people familiar with the matter said. SpaceX has pushed federal regulators to stall an Apple-funded satellite expansion effort […]
SpaceX recently asked the Federal Communications Commission to dismiss a Globalstar application seeking permission to use certain spectrum for the new network of Apple-financed satellites, documents show. It called the airwaves it uses to carry Apple users’ emergency signals an underused resource.
The two companies have had discussions about giving iPhones direct access to Starlink connectivity, but so far Apple has stuck with Globalstar – though it has allowed access to T-Mobile’s satellite cellphone service, which uses Starlink.
Musk’s close relationships concern
Apple will likely be worried about Musk’s close relationship with Trump, including his own office in the White House, with the potential that creates for influencing federal regulators like the FCC.
In this case, however, there is even more cause for concern. Trump appointed a new FCC chairman, Brendan Carr, who is a close ally of Musk and has in the past attacked the agency for not giving SpaceX what it wanted.
Additionally, Globalstar relies on SpaceX to launch its satellites, giving Musk another potential weapon.
Photo: NASA
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