Starlink direct-to-cell could be on track to launch next year،
Last year, Elon Musk’s SpaceX and a major US telecom operator, T-Mobile, announced they were joining forces to soon launch direct satellite connectivity to unmodified and ordinary cell phones. It appears that SpaceX is moving closer to this ambitious plan using a new fleet of Starlink satellites. It will attempt to carry out up to 100 flights by the end of this year, followed by 12 flights per month next year, in order to achieve the satellite constellation required for better direct-to-cell satellite connectivity.
As planned, SpaceX will carry out 100 flights over the next two and a half months, carrying satellites in its constellation. In 2024, SpaceX will conduct 12 flights per month, totaling 144 flights during that year, to achieve better connectivity and ground coverage, including land, sea and coastal waters. Oceans are not covered as this is where Starlink’s maritime services can be used to benefit from cellular services.
As of now, 2024 appears to be the year that SpaceX and T-Mobile launch direct text-to-cell service. It plans to launch LTE services with data speeds of up to 2 Mbps, with a planned launch in early 2025, as well as voice services, although we don’t have a set date at the moment.
Allowing users to communicate via voice or data requires larger satellites in space. Although the satellites that SpaceX will station for cellular connectivity are larger than before, they remain smaller than required because they must fit the Falcon 9 rockets that will be used to launch them.
T-Mobile has partnered with Starlink to give its users access to satellite services once it launches. It will be part of the Magenta MAX plan which users will have access to at no additional cost and those with cheaper plans will have to pay extra to access it. Starlink has agreements with KDDI in Japan, Rogers in Canada, One NZ in New Zealand, Salt in Switzerland and Optus in Australia. However, none of the telcos have revealed a timeline except T-Mobile in the US.
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