Overview
- SpaceX is providing no-cost Starlink access in Jamaica and the Bahamas through the end of November to support response and recovery.
- Existing customers, including paused or suspended accounts, will receive automatic credits, and first-time users can request access through a support ticket.
- The State Department says it pre-provisioned connectivity in Jamaica and plans to use Starshield at the embassy with consumer Starlink for mobile teams if local networks fail.
- Starlink also enabled direct-to-cell service for Liberty Caribbean customers in Jamaica to connect without functioning cell towers during widespread outages.
- Hurricane Melissa struck as a Category 5 storm and the government’s contingency highlights growing U.S. reliance on SpaceX services, even after a summer outage affected both Starlink and Starshield.