Starlink could function as a global operator in the future
The Direct to Cell service will allow text messages to be sent from V2 satellites
Next year we should also expect support for calls, data transfers and IoT for ordinary phones
Launched more than 30 years ago, satellite phone services are still as difficult to use today as they were then. With the advent of satellite internet services, interest in calling has increased again thanks to Starlink.
iPhones can already communicate via satellite
Last year, Apple equipped the new iPhone 14 with this function, but limited it to text messages, and only for emergency purposes. But it was definitely not unnecessary, as this function has already saved several lives.
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For the needs of this service, Cupertino teamed up with the American company Globalstar, whose satellites orbit the Earth at an altitude of 1,400 km. In order for the unfortunate iPhone owner to connect to its network, even in an emergency, he has to use a signal targeting app to get in range of the satellite and send a text message.
Musk’s satellites are closer and there are more of them
The satellites of Starlink, which falls under the company SpaceX, belonging to the eccentric billionaire Elon Musk, orbit much closer, at an altitude of about 550 km, and there are more than a hundred times more. To date, Starlink has over 5,000 satellites in orbit, Globstar only 48. Moreover, by the time the Direct To Cell service is launched, their number will not only increase, but will also be boosted by SpaceX’s more powerful V2 satellites.
How the Starlink service is supposed to work
The services offered by Starlink will work through LTE technology, which will be available to all enthusiasts on the very first day of the service. Users who experience frequent signal outages can simply sign up for Direct To Cell and use mobile services transmitted from space. In addition to Starlink, they will also be offered by partner mobile operators, for example Salt in Switzerland, T-Mobile in the US.
The ambitious plan is not without obstacles
The biggest obstacle is precisely how Musk wants to get the more powerful V2 satellites into space. These are larger satellites that require a larger launch vehicle in the form of a Starship to launch them into orbit. However, Starship’s first flight did not go as expected, and delays in preparing the launch vehicle could delay the launch of the Direct To Cell service.
Author of the article
Matyáš Hřebík
Enthusiast for mobile phones, smart home and artificial intelligence. In my free time, I like to swim, ride a bike, ski or create websites.
2023-10-15 18:30:00
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