Elon Musk-owned satellite internet service Starlink has announced plans to roll out a direct-to-cell service in 2024.
On its webpage, Starlink wrote that the soon-to-be-launched feature will use its satellites to enable users with access to texting, calling, and browsing wherever they may be, either on land, lakes, or coastal waters.
Direct to Cell works with existing LTE phones wherever users are, and will also connect IoT devices with common LTE standards. The feature will not require any changes to hardware, firmware, or special apps.
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The company confirmed on its site that initial coverage will apply to text in 2024, and expand to voice and data the following year. Also, Starlink says it will combine loT devices with LTE standards in 2025.
Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capability have an advanced eNodeB modem onboard that acts like a cellphone tower in space, allowing network integration similar to a standard roaming partner.
According to Starlink, it plans to launch the direct-to-cell feature to enable users to connect to remote regions, providing peace of mind when customers need it most.
The latest development in Starlink’s Direct to Cell launch comes more than a year after SpaceX and T-Mobile announced they would work together to bring cell service to unreachable areas.
The companies confirmed the collaboration at a live event in August and T-Mobile’s CEO Mike Sievert said in a press release that the mobile service provider and SpaceX share a common goal to reach people in the most remote areas of the world.
In his words,
“We’ve always thought differently about what it means to keep customers connected, and that’s why we’re working with the best to deliver coverage above and beyond anything customers have ever seen before. 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.”
Notably, SpaceX is leveraging its experience in manufacturing and launching the world’s most advanced rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink satellites with the Direct to Cell capability at scale.
Direct to Cell satellites will initially be launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and then Starship. On orbit, the satellites will immediately connect over laser backhaul to the Starlink constellation to provide global connectivity.
It is worth noting that Starlink plans to launch the direct-to-cell feature which enables text, call, and browsing wherever users are, is already a feature launched by Apple for iPhone users.
Last year, in a bid to give users a measure of safety even when they’re in a place without cell service, Apple launched an emergency SOS feature for iPhone users which uses satellite technology to send for help.
With the launch of the latest iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15, or iPhone 15 Pro, users can use Emergency SOS via satellite to text emergency services when they are off the grid with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.
Interestingly, satellite phones have now become the latest trend in the smartphone market.