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10/29/2025 – 12:40 AM
MIAMI, Florida – As Jamaica grapples with the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, Liberty Caribbean, a subsidiary of Liberty Latin America (LILA), is stepping up to bolster emergency communications through a groundbreaking collaboration with SpaceX’s Starlink Direct to Cell technology.
This initiative, leveraging spectrum approved by Jamaican authorities, aims to provide crucial connectivity for Liberty Caribbean subscribers in situations where terrestrial networks are compromised. The move underscores the increasing importance of satellite-based solutions in maintaining vital communication channels during natural disasters and other emergencies.
Inge Smidts, CEO of Liberty Caribbean, emphasized the critical nature of communication in the wake of such events, stating, “We truly understand that having the ability to communicate in the aftermath of the Hurricane is a matter of life and death. Our FLOW Essential service will provide basic connectivity immediately. This innovation will provide emergency mobile connectivity via satellite and facilitates SMS and text communications to areas affected by the passage of Hurricane Melissa.”
The partnership marks a significant milestone as the first collaboration of its kind in Jamaica, uniting a traditional telecom operator with a leading-edge satellite communications provider. This synergy allows for direct-to-mobile connectivity, enabling users to send essential messages even when local networks are down. The integration of Starlink’s Direct to Cell service with Liberty Caribbean’s existing mobile infrastructure suggests a potential blueprint for other regions vulnerable to extreme weather events. This may involve the use of specialized network slicing to prioritize emergency communications, along with optimizing data transfer rates to guarantee reliable messaging.
“We believe our collaboration with Starlink and their Direct to Cell business reflects a deep commitment to the Caribbean and to protecting Jamaicans, the economy, and our shared future,” Smidts added.
By integrating this redundancy into its nationwide mobile network, Liberty Caribbean, in conjunction with Starlink, seeks to ensure that emergency services, businesses, and families can maintain communication during critical times. The collaboration may also have an impact on long-term service offerings, maybe prompting investment in more resilient infrastructure through a hybrid network deployment model. This is a major move for emergency communications in the Caribbean.
The move also highlights the growing role of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites in telecom infrastructure, particularly in regions with challenging geography or vulnerability to natural disasters. Starlink’s Direct to Cell technology, which utilizes a constellation of LEO satellites to provide SMS capabilities directly to existing mobile phones without requiring any special hardware, is rapidly gaining traction as a viable solution for bridging connectivity gaps.
The technical implementation hinges on seamless integration with existing LTE phones and reliance on advanced phased array antennas, with complex communication across the Starlink network via lasers.
About Liberty Caribbean
Liberty Caribbean (formerly named C&W Communications), part of Liberty Latin America, is a leading communications and technology provider, with operations in more than 20 markets across the Caribbean delivering broadband, mobile, video, and voice services to residential customers through the consumer brands Flow and BTC.
Through its B2B division, Liberty Business, the company delivers enterprise-grade connectivity, cloud, security, and data centre services to businesses and governments — supporting economic growth in an increasingly digital world.
With a legacy spanning more than 150 years, Liberty Caribbean remains steadfastly anchored in the region – providing robust networks, personalised local support, and tailored solutions that truly resonate with the people and communities we serve.
About Starlink Direct to Cell
Starlink Direct to Cell constellation delivers data, voice, video, and messaging to devices in mobile dead zones and works with existing LTE phones wherever you can see the sky. Acting like a cell phone tower in space with phased array antennas that connect across the Starlink network over lasers to any point in the globe, it enables network integration similar to a standard roaming partner. Starlink is a 4G coverage provider and partners with Mobile Network Operators all over the world.
Source: Liberty Latin America
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