Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet, is about to add another service to its offering: Starlink Direct to Cell or, in short, Starlink for mobile phones. And we don’t mean connecting your mobile phone to your home Starlink network, be it a residential, roaming or maritime connection, but a service that will allow you to connect your mobile phone to any Starlink satellite and have access to the Internet. connection as if you were connected to a local or international operator. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about Starlink Direct to Cell or Starlink for mobile phones.
What is Starlink Direct to Cell?
Starlink Direct to Cell is Elon Musk’s satellite internet designed specifically to connect mobile phones. Unlike other Starlink products already on the market (Starlink Residential, Starlink Itinerant and Starlink Boats), this connection does not require an antenna or additional equipment, and simply connects your mobile phone to its network.
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According to statement signed by Starlinkthis service will operate on a combination of proprietary satellite technology (i.e. Starlink network satellites) and local operators’ radio spectrum (think roaming).
In the same announcement, Starlink highlighted the difficulties of offering a satellite Internet service designed to connect mobile phones. “On a terrestrial network, cell towers are fixed, but on a satellite network they move at thousands of miles per hour relative to users on Earth. This requires seamless handover between satellites,” explains Starlink. “Connecting cell phones to a satellite thousands of miles away is also incredibly difficult due to the low transmission power of its antenna.”
How does Starlink for mobile phones work?
Here’s how Elon Musk’s aerospace company explains it: “Starlink’s direct-to-cellular charging satellites feature innovative silicon chips, phased array antennas, and software with advanced algorithms that solve connectivity problems to achieve standard LTE services on cell phones on Earth.”
Due to this explanation, Starlink for mobile phones does not require any additional hardware, a requirement that other Starlink services have, requiring at least one sky-facing antenna to connect.
Starlink for Cell Phones: Availability Date, Coverage and Price
Starlink did not provide an availability date or price for the mobile phone connection. Until now, Elon Musk’s aerospace company has limited itself to indicating that it will continue to conduct communications tests in 2025.
“This year (2024), we plan to expand our testing to include more coverage areas, launching hundreds of satellites to enable our constellation to provide text services, and are working toward a 2025 constellation for data, voice and Internet of Things services.”
Source: Digital Trends
