T-Mobile and SpaceX are collaborating to offer more full coverage in the United States.
The two companies announced that starting next year, Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellites will connect directly to T-Mobile smartphones to enable service access even in the most remote locations beyond the reach of cell towers.
“More than just a groundbreaking alliance, this represents two industry-shaking innovators challenging the old ways of doing things to create something entirely new that will further connect customers and scare competitors,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile.
Text message services will be available starting in late 2023 through the new service, which will work with current cellphones and make use of SpaceX’s network of hundreds of Starlink satellites orbiting the Earth. Voice calls and data services are anticipated to follow later.
According to T-Mobile, geographical constraints and regulations on land use have made it difficult for the wireless industry to offer service in some locations. The firms are of the opinion that satellites are the answer to that issue.
At a press conference conducted at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas, Musk remarked, “The important thing about this is that it means there’s no dead zones anywhere in the world for your cell phone.”
Starlink V2, launching next year, will transmit direct to mobile phones, eliminating dead zones worldwide
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 26, 2022
Musk cited the example of missing hikers who are currently unable to contact for assistance when he said that the service will save lives.
“We will no longer read about these tragedies that happened where people get lost and if only they could have called for help they would be OK.”
Despite the fact that satellite internet has been around for a while, users now need specialized equipment, including Starlink terminals.
“This won’t have the kind of bandwidth that a Starlink terminal would have, but it will enable texting, it will enable images, and – if there aren’t too many people in the cell zone – you can even potentially have a little bit of video,” said Musk.
Despite the possibility of a fee for customers of low-cost packages, Sievert stated that he anticipates the new service to be free on the majority of cellular plans.
“It’s a lot like putting a cellular tower in the sky. Just a lot harder,” he said.
The original purpose of SpaceX’s Starlink was to offer those who lived in remote places with patchy coverage access to high-speed internet. Over 2,800 satellites in low-Earth orbit and over 400,000 subscribers worldwide make up its user base.
The Verge, on Thursday, said that Starlink costs decreased for select customers in the UK, Mexico, Germany, and the Netherlands.