Elon Musk’s SpaceX pushes for Australian satellite mobile licence

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SpaceX wants to ensure no Australian mobile phone ever goes dark but a regulator stands between its Starlink satellites and ... Read More The post Elon Musk’s SpaceX pushes for…

Elon Musk’s SpaceX wants access to the two gigahertz band to allow broadband speeds and voice calls via satellite. Pic: Getty Images

Elon Musk’s SpaceX wants all Australians to be able to use their mobile phones via its Starlink satellites – a move it says will strengthen the triple-zero emergency call system.

But it has a roadblock: the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

The regulator is yet to decide how to allocate the spectrum that would allow satellites to become an extension of land-based mobile towers, allowing Australians to make calls in black spots and during outages.

But ACMA says it will allocate licences before the new Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation begins in December next year. This is despite already granting an allocation to SpaceX rivals Amazon, Iridium and Inmarsat.

SpaceX specifically wants the two gigahertz band, which would allow broadband speeds and voice calls via satellite.

David Goldman, SpaceX vice president of satellite policy who visited Australia this month, said “Australians should be able to stay connected wherever they are” while giving them “more choice”.

“Direct-to-device technology adds another layer of resilience by allowing existing mobile phones to connect via satellite when terrestrial coverage is unavailable – whether that’s in a regional mobile black spot or when an outage or natural disaster disrupts ground-based infrastructure,” Goldman told The Australian.

“A consistent approach to satellite spectrum authorisations enables continued investment and deployment, while supporting competition and better outcomes for consumers.

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