Earlier this year, private space company SpaceX launched satellites into space that will enable satellite internet service Starlink to deliver internet directly to devices. As part of the Direct to Cell project with T-Mobile, Starlink will provide internet access to T-Mobile’s dead zones – areas within the United States where local cell towers cannot reach. T-Mobile announced that satellite cellular internet beta tests may be delayed.
Satellite cellular internet beta tests may not start until 2025
T-Mobile and Starlink were able to successfully complete a satellite cellular internet connection earlier this month. The companies successfully completed tests such as texting, video calls and internet speed tests with the satellite cellular internet connection. Last week, SpaceX attempted to send an emergency alert to a group of T-Mobile users. The test was successfully completed within seconds after the alert was sent.
T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert made statements about their partnership with Starlink and satellite cellular internet service on CNBC. We think we’re moving toward the beta program for the direct-to-cell program that we announced a while ago; it could start late this year or early next year Sievert said in the program. SpaceX, on the other hand, stated in its May 2024 report to the US federal communications commission that they want to start beta testing the service in the fall of 2024. Starlink’s website for satellite cellular internet service states that access to voice communications, internet communications and Internet of Things (IoT) services will begin in 2025.
While T-Mobile CEO Sievert did not comment on the reason for the delay, SpaceX announced that it needed to launch 300 satellites dedicated to the satellite cellular internet service project into earth orbit in order to launch the service. As of today, SpaceX has managed to increase the number of satellites in the project to more than 200 with the new satellites it launched. This number is expected to exceed 300 in the coming weeks.
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