Space Exploration Technologies Corp.‘s (NASDAQ:SPCX) Starlink Mobile activated free satellite texting for Movistar and MasOrange customers in wildfire-hit regions near Madrid, giving compatible LTE phones an emergency backup as fires disrupted terrestrial networks and forced mass evacuations across central Spain.
Free Satellite Texting Reaches Fire Zones
Starlink announced the service Sunday on X. "Families, communities and businesses with compatible LTE smartphones can now stay connected through SMS even if terrestrial networks are not available," the company said. Phones connect automatically, though coverage works best with a clear view of the sky.
The activation followed blazes across Madrid and neighboring Ávila. Spain declared a national emergency as fires overwhelmed regional resources. The Associated Press reported on Sunday that central Spain’s fires had burned more than 77,000 hectares and forced nearly 90,000 people to evacuate.
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