Starlink has made its direct-to-cell satellite service available in areas hit by Hurricane Helene prior to its official launch.

SpaceX offers internet connectivity via its Starlink satellite constellation. It is the world’s largest satellite constellation, with over 5,000 satellites in orbit at present. The firm, founded by Elon Musk, started launching satellites capable of providing a direct mobile connection to phones in January.

It provides satellite internet coverage to dozens of countries, and is in the process of expanding mobile coverage into ‘dead zones’ impractical or impossible to reach with terrestrial network coverage, including more than half a million square miles of the US.

Direct-to-cell is expected to launch with just text services later this year, with voice, data and IoT to follow in 2025.

But the firm has decided to make it available early to areas affected by Hurricane Helene in a bid to help with the disaster relief efforts. Helene was the strongest hurricane on record...