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Starlink shares timeline for expanding satellite service to carriers beyond T-Mobile
- Space X’s Starlink has partnered exclusively with T-Mobile for a year to offer Direct to Cell satellite connectivity to users.
- After this period, Starlink will open up its satellite service to other carriers as well.
- Musk confirmed that SpaceX will adopt the same strategy globally.
If you’re in a cellular dead zone, satellite communication is often your best only option to get in touch with emergency services or loved ones. Apple has offered this feature by way of its Emergency SOS tech for a few years now, and now Google has introduced a similar capability with its Pixel 9 series. But even for people who don’t use any of these devices, there’s good news on the horizon, as we learn more about Starlink’s plans for Direct to Cell satellite service, to provide you with connectivity in areas where traditional cell networks just don’t reach.
T-Mobile struck a deal with Space X’s Starlink back in 2022 to use its satellite network for Direct to Cell service. Following that partnership’s year-long exclusivity, the service plans to open up to other carriers, as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk recently shared on X. This means that even if you’re not a T-Mobile customer, you should eventually be able to benefit from Starlink’s satellite connectivity.
Starlink direct to mobile phone Internet is exclusively with @Tmobile in the US for the first year, then other carriers thereafter.We are starting off working with one carrier in each country, but ultimately hope to serve all carriers. https://t.co/CDVeiftVNT— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 31, 2024
It has been two years since T-Mobile and Space X announced their partnership for satellite connectivity via Starlink’s network. More recently, Musk proclaimed that Starlink’s satellite services would provide emergency services on all smartphones globally, pending approval from national governments. When this satellite service rolls out for T-Mobile customers later this year, it should start with text message support, with plans to expand to data and even voice in 2025. Given all these advancements, there’s hope that this technology will set a new standard for staying connected.