Starlink satellites could provide essential emergency alerts to over 500,000 square miles of land that currently lacks cell tower coverage.

This week, T-Mobile announced a collaboration with SpaceX that successfully delivered the first wireless emergency alert in the U.S. without relying on ground-based cell towers.

On September 5 at 8:13 PM ET, emergency operators issued a test alert for a fictional evacuation, which was received by a T-Mobile phone, according to a statement made on Wednesday.

The alert traveled 217 miles into orbit to one of more than 175 Starlink satellites and then returned to Earth.

The news release noted, “Emergency operators were able to queue and deliver the alert to users on the ground in just seconds.”

T-Mobile plans to continue testing this service before launching it commercially, although they have not provided a specific timeline.

Verizon and AT&T to broaden alert services

This success opens doors for T-Mobile and other providers like Verizon and AT&T to send important alerts to sparsely populated, remote, and wilderness areas throughout the nation, as stated in the release.

People in these regions will eventually receive warnings for disasters such as fires, tornadoes, and hurricanes, according to T-Mobile.

T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert expressed, “Today is a significant moment for a wireless company, as I reflect on how advancements in technology and our efforts are genuinely influencing situations that affect lives.” in the news release.

The company mentioned that this technology could be crucial in emergencies like the 2018 Camp Fire in Northern California, which devastated over 150,000 acres, took 86 lives, and damaged 66 cell towers.

The Starlink satellites will ensure that communication remains possible with first responders or family when traditional cell coverage is lost.

T-Mobile is set to launch additional Starlink satellites in several upcoming SpaceX missions to broaden wireless coverage.