Spacex and T-Mobile took advantage of the Super Bowl to announce that the service of Direct cell connection with Starlink satellites It is already available in the test phase in the United States. The surprise is that it will be free until July, even for customers from other operators. Then it will become a payment service, accessible from any modern smartphone with ESIM.
How T-Mobile Starlink works. Spacex has launched more than 7,000 Starlink satellites; 450 of them are Direct to Cell. In addition to offering Broadband Internetthese satellites function as telephone towers in space. When a T-Mobile Starlink user stays without coverage, his mobile will connect directly to the satellites that are passing over, and they will talk to each other to forward the messages to an earth station.
Although at the moment the service is limited to sending text messages, in the future it will also allow voice calls and data services. Spacex has shown that Even video calls are feasible With Starlink Direct to Cell, but more satellites will be needed in orbit so that the company can offer a generalized use of this type of complex services.
What devices are compatible. The connection with the satellites is direct and does not require parabolic antennas, as is the case with Starlink broadband. Any modern smartphone compatible with the LTE 25 band should be able to connect to Starlink Direct to Cell, although T-Mobile only mentions some examples: iPhone 14 or higher, recent Google, Motorola and Samsung devices, and the Revvl line of T-Mobile.
In addition to T-Mobile customers, Verizon, AT&T and other operators can also register in the service with an unlocked terminal that ESIM admits. In the future, coverage will be international through alliances with operators from other countries.
How much does the service cost. The great claim of the Super Bowl announcement is that T-Mobile Starlink will be free until July, be the operator you are. Those interested have only to Complete a form With your name, your email and your mobile phone number, accepting in return to receive T-Mobile marketing offers.
The highs are carried out in order of arrival, which is generating demand peaks. But the thing will change from July, when the beta phase of the service ends. From that moment on, T-Mobile customers will have to pay $ 15 per month so as not to run out of signal without coverage ($ 10 per month if they take advantage of the starting offer). Customers of other operators will pay much more: $ 20 per month without discounts.
It will soon reach other countries. Starting with New Zealand through the ONENZ operator. And following Australia, Ukraine, Canada, Switzerland, Chile, Peru and Japan. Entel is Spacex’s partner in the only two Latin American countries on the list.
Starlink It is already a profitable businessbut Direct to Cell can only expand Spacex’s advantage over its competitors. No other company has the competitive advantage of reusing up to 25 times its own rockets. And when some get it, Spacex will have already started throwing satellites with Starship.
Images | Spacex, T-Mobile
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