Starlink's First Nationwide Satellite Texting Service Goes Live In New Zealand

SpaceX has partnered with telecommunications company One NZ to offer satellite-to-cell Starlink texting service to customers in New Zealand. It marks the first time a nationwide satellite text messaging service has been powered by Starlink. Engadget reports: Now onto the caveats, and there are a couple of big ones. Starlink texting is incredibly slow when compared to traditional methods. One NZ says that most messages should be sent and received within three minutes during the initial rollout, but admits that timeframe could increase to "10 minutes or longer." It is for this reason that the company continues to urge folks to carry a personal locator beacon when traveling to a remote area.

The service is also only supported by four smartphone models, which includes the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and OPPO Find X8 Pro. This list of eligible devices is expected to grow next year. The company also intends to eventually expand the service to include voice calling and data. The satellite service is free for existing One NZ customers on paid-monthly plans, but we don't know the pricing scheme for new customers or for those signed up for other types of contracts. Starlink is working with T-Mobile to do something similar in the U.S. Last month, the FCC approved a license for T-Mobile and SpaceX's Starlink to provide supplemental telecommunications coverage from space.

Stalin's dream is over?

[bulbbulb]

so finally untraceable location communication? Stalin's dream of everybody carrying a tracking device is over?

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[jonbryce]

Starlink will know where you are to approx GPS levels of accuracy.

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[Rujiel]

Stalin's dream? Did Stalin invent the idea of a smartphone?

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[Valgrus Thunderaxe]

At least he didn't say Hitler.

Re: Stalin's dream is over?

[greytree]

In Soviet Russia, Stalin's dream is over YOU.

Well

[rossdee]

It sure beats using some of the local birds carrying messages, since many of them are flightless.

(but you could have used a Ruru (a type of owl) if you wanted to order more pork

Re:

[CavemanKiwi]

I sea wai you did that.

Reach nobody wanted

[BishopBerkeley]

The only people who will use this service are asswipe influencers and "social" media narcissists who just have to post via text a photo of themselves in some remote part of NZ where there is no cell service. Yeah, this is what the market was absolutely crying for.

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[votsalo]

This may save your life if you are stranded in an area with no cell service. A few weeks ago there was a news story about a Russian man being stranded on a drifting boat at sea for 67 days, next to two dead relatives: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/... [www.cbc.ca] He couldn't call for help because he had no network coverage. He could have had a personal locator beacon (as this article recommends), but he didn't. These things are expensive.

Re: Reach nobody wanted

[BishopBerkeley]

Ok, I suppose, but that service has been available on iphones for a few years now.

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[ewibble]

The specifically said you should take a locator beacon. https://one.nz/why-choose-us/s... [one.nz] . So it may save your life but they aren't not taking liability if it doesn't

Higher transmit power from phones?

[zuckie13]

If this is going to do calls or data at any useful rate - how much will phone transmission power need to increase? Sure, less obstruction going up - but we're talking like 350 miles vs what, no more that 40 miles (and usually a lot less).