While we usher in an era of superfast 5G connectivity, a majority of the Earth’s surface is still beyond the reach of the world’s vastly advanced communication networks. Good connectivity speeds are often a luxury in remote areas and until your network operator manages to install cell towers all across the country, you are likely to continue getting no signal when visiting the countryside. Geographical and financial reasons often play a hurdle in implementing widespread connectivity which, as it turns out, was one of the reasons that led Elon Musk’s SpaceX to rely on satellites for beaming internet across the globe.
For the last few years, SpaceX’s Starlink has been rapidly expanding its network of satellites to allow for a widespread distribution of internet signals across vast unconnected patches of land (and water) on our planet. Till now, a Starlink connection required you to install a dish antenna and a router in order to get connectivity. Even though we consider it a technological marvel, it’s certainly inconvenient for those who are always on the move, exploring uncharted territories and can’t carry a large dish antenna wherever they go.
As a result, the next obvious evolution in technology was expected to beam internet signals directly to our handheld smart devices and that’s exactly what Starlink has done.
What is Starlink Direct To Cell?
If the name didn’t make it obvious enough, the Starlink Direct To Cell service is essentially a satellite cellular service. To describe it in the simplest of terms, try to think of it as a network of cellphone towers floating in space and beaming cellular service directly to your smart device.
Unlike the current Starlink satellite broadband service that requires you to set up special hardware in order to get internet connectivity, the Direct To Cell service will eliminate the extra gear and beam signals directly to your smartphone or laptop.
What are the advantages of satellite cellular service?
With satellite cellular service, you will be able to stay connected to the world in remote locations around the world. The network dead zones will also be fewer than before. For example, if you are hiking on an unexplored path, satellite cellular service will allow you to stay connected to the grid. This kind of infrastructure makes it easier for network operators to expand their presence without having to set up additional ground-based cell towers.
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Everything else to know about Starlink’s cell service
The Starlink Direct To Cell service will offer the ability to access the internet, connect to people via text messages and voice, and control IoT (Internet of Things) devices. The service will kickstart in 2024 with the ability to send text messages only. Once Starlink fine-tunes the system and solves all of the bugs, it is expected to offer voice and internet connectivity by 2025.
Will Starlink offer 5G speed?
The Starlink Direct To Cell currently promises connectivity of LTE devices and that translates to 4G speed in the initial phases. SpaceX assures that the data speeds will be fast enough for web browsing. Hence, while it may not be a great means to download large files while being off the grid, having 4G LTE kind of speed is more than enough to help you stay in touch with the world. Starlink could eventually improve its speed to match 5G standards in the future.
How to access Starlink Direct To Cell?
Unlike Apple’s satellite SOS connectivity feature that requires a special chip in its iPhones to make it work, Starlink’s service doesn’t have any such limitations. The Starlink Direct To Cell service only requires the user to have a device that supports LTE connectivity and stay subscribed to Starlink’s network carrier partners. Currently, Starlink is bringing the service to T-Mobile subscribers in the USA, Rogers subscribers in Canada, Optus subscribers in Australia and KDDI subscribers in Japan. It is also working with New Zealand’s One NZ and Switzerland’s Salt and there will be more partners across various countries in the future.
Additionally, subscribers will be able to access the Starlink cell phone service only on land, lakes and coastal waters. For oceans, Starlink has a maritime service with a separate subscription plan. It remains to be seen whether Starlink’s service includes the polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctic.
(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Starlink)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– When is the Starlink satellite cell service expected to launch?
The Starlink Direct To Cell satellite cell service is expected to launch in 2024.
– When will Starlink launch voice call services?
Starlink is expected to launch voice call services in 2025 after testing text services in 2024.
