Ars Technica

Space startup Lynk says it has successfully demonstrated the ability to use ordinary, unmodified mobile telephones to connect to satellite Internet services. The Virginia-based company sent its "Shannon" satellite into orbit as part of a rideshare mission on a Falcon 9 rocket. After some initial tests, the company said "hundreds" of mobile phones in the United States, United Kingdom, and the Bahamas were able to connect with the satellite as it passed overhead, as if it were a virtual cell phone tower in space.

President Joe Biden's failure to nominate a fifth Federal Communications Commission member has forced Democrats to work with a 2-2 deadlock instead of the 3-2 majority the president's party typically enjoys at the FCC. Additionally, things could get worse for Democrats starting in January; if Biden doesn't make his choice quickly enough to get Senate confirmation by the end of 2021, Republicans could get a 2-1 FCC majority despite Democrats controlling both the White House and Senate. This is because acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel's term expired in mid-2020.