Starlink is being used to provide wireless emergency alerts to cell phones from all carriers in North Carolina, according to Ben Longmier, senior director of satellite engineering for SpaceX. "We are also closely monitoring Hurricane Milton and standing by ready to take action in Florida," he wrote.

The approval allows SpaceX to use radio frequencies leased from T-Mobile to provide what's called "Supplemental Coverage from Space" beamed from Starlink's low-Earth orbit satellite constellation.

Direct-to-device (D2D) services from Starlink will be available in the parts of North Carolina most badly affected by Hurricane Helene.