New Starlink Webpage Highlights Upcoming 'Direct To Cell' Service

SpaceX quietly published a new "Starlink Direct to Cell" webpage highlighting the company's forthcoming cell service for mobile phones. MobileSyrup reports: The new 'Starlink Direct to Cell' page boasts "seamless access to text, voice, and data for LTE phones across the globe" and notes that the company is targeting text capabilities in 2024, followed by voice and data capabilities in 2025. Internet of Things (IoT) support may also arrive in 2025. Starlink also advertises that the direct-to-cell system would work with "existing LTE phones wherever you can see the sky" and wouldn't require any changes to hardware, firmware, or special apps. The page also explains that Starlink Direct to Cell would use "an advanced eNodeB modem" that "acts like a cellphone tower in space." The system would allow network integration "similar to a standard roaming partner." Last year, SpaceX announced a partnership with T-Mobile, allowing users' mobile phones to connect directly with Starlink satellites in orbit. SpaceX said it was hoping to launch the service later this year but the company has been mum on the progress.

It'll be interesting

[Baron_Yam]

A typical cell phone can send an LTE signal ~70km, but of course that probably includes terrain and obstructions... but just how big will those Starlink antennas have to be to pick that weak a signal up from ~550km?

Beyond that, I'd think those antennas will have to be extremely directional and very well aimed, because otherwise they're going to pick up far too many signals to route.

Anyway, I'll believe it when I see my phone offering Starlink as a possible roaming service.

Re: It'll be interesting

[klipclop]

Or maybe phone calls tower, then tower calls Elons starlink?

Re:

[fluffernutter]

That would totally defeat the purpose of satellite, which is to reach anywhere without needing towers.

Re:

[backslashdot]

I know from ham radio that you can pick up signals from hundreds and thousands of miles away with a small antenna and low power if the atmospheric conditions were right (bounce off the ionosphere) That was with decades old analog technology. QRP operating it used to be called, basically low power DXing. This was under 5 watts. I had QSL cards from many states. Serious hardcore dudes had QSLs from Europe and Asia. I believe the world record is single digit milliwatts for US to Europe verified contact. Maybe

Re:

[Alcari]

QRP is generally done on HF bands (3-30mHz). LTE phones operate in UHF and higher bands (600-6000mHz), and require a much better signal-to-noise ratio than analog audio does to achieve any sort of useful connection.

Let me be the first to say

[CAIMLAS]

Let me be the first to say that I'll be considering a flip phone again, as long as it only works on speakerphone....

"Caimlas to bridge..."

Re:

[TwistedGreen]

This is Admiral Musk, we hear you Caimlas, go ahead... (Russian accent)

Press Release

[Shakrai]

This is a Press Release masquerading as a new product. T-Mobile only has one small (5MHz) PCS license the FCC has authorized them to experiment with for this service, in a very limited geographical area, and assuming those tests are successful they might get permission to take the service national.

Don't get too excited about it if that happens. A single 5MHz LTE carrier, in the lab, with perfect signal, tops out at ~33Mbps of capacity before overhead. MIMO [wikipedia.org] can increase that theoretical capacity but MIMO relies on multipath [wikipedia.org] and that won't be common with a satellite that has a clear LOS to you. Bottom line, in the wild, with the probable low RSSI, limited multipath, and high noise floor, you're probably looking at sub T-1 speeds (<1.5Mbps) in the best case, and you have to share that with other people.

The "too long, didn't read" here is this will mostly be useful for SMS, low bandwidth messengers like iMessage or Signal, and with luck, phone calls. VoLTE does get QoS priority on cellular, for what it's worth, but in a low signal quality scenario on a 5MHz carrier, it won't scale to many simultaneous users. I would expect the primary use case for this to be wilderness rescue, wildfire response, things of that sort, and for those use cases this will be a pretty big deal if they pull it off.

Re:

[schwit1]

"I would expect the primary use case for this to be wilderness rescue, wildfire response, things of that sort, and for those use cases this will be a pretty big deal if they pull it off."

Agreed, but you have to start somewhere. It may also be a prototype for MarsCom?

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[timeOday]

I would rather have it as a free add-on for text only than a pricey add-on that will probably really only work for text anyways.

But I would love to have something. I currently carry a PLB that costs several hundred dollars and is one-way-only because anything else (spot, inreach) requires recurring payments.

Re:

[Shakrai]

I don't see this service or similarity purposed ones replacing PLBs. I do see it being used for wilderness rescue, because most people have no idea what a PLB is, but I wouldn't rely on it when PLBs are cheap and reliable. My PLB is rugged, its battery won't die on me, and it'll work under forest canopies, in canyons, etc.

The phone option would be nice for emergencies that fall short of "immediately rescue me". It would be even nicer if it provided enough bandwidth to get weather forecasts and radar upda

Re:

[mspohr]

They will start with SMS but their "future timeline" predicts voice and internet in future years. We'll see...

Text?

[Uldis Segliņš]

Do they mean SMS? Who on the Earth still uses that? Or are they aiming for third world countries?

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[backslashdot]

Uh anyone who is stuck or lost in the middle of nowhere would want to use it. And btw they probably mean RCS, iMessage, or WhatsApp or something. If they can do voice they can do iMessage or WhatsApp texting.

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[timeOday]

Texting is what I do most. I don't get it, what do you do, voice calls?

Re:

[fluffernutter]

No he makes all his friends/family/acquaintances use the same app he uses is my guess. Or he doesn't it have anyone who wants to talk to him.

Re:

[peragrin]

Since apple wont share imessage a lot of texts get sent.

Rcs is sms, with extra features. So facebook,whatsapp, signal, and other txp/ip only messaging services wont work

However since my wifes 14 mile commute contains 10 miles of roads without signal this would be handy .

Direct to cell?

[Bu11etmagnet]

Direct to cell? But I have a "Get out of Jail Free" card.