Ron DeSantis, working with Elon Musk to help restore Internet connectivity in parts of Florida Hurricane Ian. extensive damage from,
DeSantis said state officials are using Musk’s Starlink satellites to provide much-needed communications resources to both residents and emergency workers who have been knocked offline.
“They are positioning the Starlink satellites to provide good coverage in southwest Florida and other affected areas,” he said at a news conference. Storm-ravaged Fort Myers Saturday afternoon.
DeSantis said 120 Starlink units are being deployed to boost Internet access in areas most affected by the storm.
“He has donated all the costs associated with the coverage” DeSantis said before personally thanking Musk for his help.
Satellite, Musk’s SpaceX. developed byBeam down devices placed on the ground that can provide connectivity within a 13-mile radius and support up to 1,000 users simultaneously.
“This will help bridge some of the connectivity issues,” he said, noting that units will move to several battered areas, including Lee and Collier counties.
Musk and DeSantis’s complimented each other in recent monthsThe tech titan suggested in June that he would vote for the Florida Republican if he ran for president in 2024.
DeSantis also backed Musk’s controversial bid to buy Twitter, even threatening to pull investment in the company from a Florida pension fund if the company scrapped the deal on political grounds. Instead, Musk tried to back away from the $44 billion acquisition, landing himself in a Legal battle with Twitter,
DeSantis said 73 percent of people in Lee County and 77 percent of Charlotte County are still without electricity and line workers are trying to get the lights back on.