By Stephen Smoot
After 11 counties in West Virginia and the Old Dominion passed official resolutions expressing serious concerns with National Radio Quiet Zone restrictions, officials say that many will still find their access hamstrung by “archaic” regulations.
The latest move comes in the form of an agreement between Starlink on one hand and the stewards of the NRQZ, which covers the operations of the Green Bank Radio Observatory and the National Security Agency facility near Sugar Grove.
Starlink launched service in 2019 with the goal of providing global mobile broadband through satellite connected service. Its website advertises “connectivity where you least expect it . . . in even the most remote locations.”
The agreement allows 99.5 percent of those in the NRQZ to access Starlink service, but the entire breadth of the official zone encompasses an area extending from Salem in Harrison County to near Capon Bridge in Hampshire County in the north and from an area near Lewisburg to Charlottesville, Virginia, in the south.
Areas still closed to service include parts of northern Pocahontas and southern Randolph counties, as well as much of Pendleton County in a hexagonal shape roughly between Propst Knob in the north almost to Ugly Mountain in the south and from Bother Knob on the Virginia State line in the east to Pine Tree Knob and Cedar Knob in the west.
Until recently, residents, business owners, and emergency management personnel had use of Starlink within the zone, “very successfully.” Emergency communications procedures assumed that it could be used for emergency communications whether during a disaster, or even between an ambulance and medical facility for patient care.
Rick Gillespie, Pendleton County Emergency Services coordinator, penned a strong response to Starlink, federal officials, and the state congressional delegation. He asked, “Why have we not been involved with the decision-making” and that “this is actually a taking away of Roam/RV service” for vital emergency communications.
Michael O’Brien, Pocahontas County Emergency Services coordinator, released a statement addressing these concerns as well. He wrote that the agreement “comes with the unsettling caveat that this ‘improvement’ is actually a step back for connectivity within the NRQZ. “
He went on to state that “up until August, 100% of NRQZ residents, visitors and public safety had access to the Starlink Roam model, which is now being restricted. This allowed people to contact 911 from more locations than ever before and gave first responders better communications to serve the public.”
Gillespie also pointed out that in earlier discussions, federal officials suggested use of “in-motion Starlink service” on emergency vehicles “as a possible way to augment the lack of cellular/wireless to pass data.”
O’Brien explained that the agreement “telling 0.5% of the NRQZ population, ‘Sorry, your safety and connectivity are secondary to scientific research’ is not acceptable. Why are we an exception?”
Also, the final limits of the NRQZ remain in flux. According to a National Radio Astronomy Observatory release, “based on these results, SpaceX will begin a one-year assessment period to offer residential satellite internet service to 99.5% of residents within the NRQZ starting October 25.”
Gillespie closed his communication with “we are very disappointed in your lack of communication and briefing of us as to exactly what is going on.” He added that the agencies involved seemed to have “no genuine concern for public safety in your host counties,” adding that limited communications would hinder efforts to help if the facilities themselves experienced emergencies.
Gillespie’s communication also posed other questions, including “can we expect the possibility of additional areas being deactivated within those assessment period circles?” and also “can we expect to be provided with any type of notification line with Starlink wherein the service could be quickly restored within these zones during an emergency?”
“We do not seek the closure of these federal entities,” Gillespie said, adding that local governments needed “their commitment to identifying and funding viable solutions.”
