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Vendor says Starlink tie‑in will bring satellite texting this fall; voice/data planned for next year
Summary
A telecom representative told the commissioners that T‑Mobile’s partnership with Starlink will enable standard text messaging by about November and voice/data next year, offered priority/preemption for government traffic and a five‑year $0 smartphone plan for first responders.
A private telecom presenter described local coverage and products for Daniels County government and first responders. He said the company has limited local tower utilization in some parts of the county and highlighted 600MHz spectrum as beneficial for rural propagation. He explained that T‑Mobile’s commercial arrangement with Starlink will first provide standard text messaging over satellite beginning around November, with voice and data scheduled to follow the next year; the presenter characterized the initial throughput at roughly 17 Mbps — sufficient for video calls and email in many use cases.
The presenter also described fixed‑wireless options for remote buildings, a demo program (30‑day device trials) and a First Responders plan that offers a $0 smartphone line for five years, including one gigabyte of hotspot per month and roaming in Canada/Mexico. For government accounts he noted priority and preemption features that can give public‑safety devices higher throughput during major events.
Commissioners asked for coverage maps and a side‑by‑side comparison with the county’s current provider; the presenter said he would email screenshots, a site map and rate‑plan details and that he could supply demo phones, tablets and hotspots for 30‑day trials.
The board did not make procurement decisions in the meeting; commissioners asked staff to review the coverage maps with the sheriff and other departments.
