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SpaceX, T-Mobile to connect satellites to cellphones in remote areas

wsj.com

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Re: SpaceX, T-Mobile to connect satellites to cellphones in remote areas

#31

Post by ganoushoreilly »

anonymousiam wrote: post #5

I watched the announcement. Knowing Musk, I'll believe it when I see it, but it sounds promising. Apparently the G2 Starlink satellites will be equipped with large antennas to support cellular users on the existing spectrum. Video was live-streamed, and still available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qzli-Ww26Qs

Curious that the Apple event next month is themed "Far Out" with space imagery. I imagine this is the modems that were widely reported last year as being part of the 13/14 SOCs

I think this is very interesting and a smart move for Starlink to improve profitability options in the long term.

Re: SpaceX, T-Mobile to connect satellites to cellphones in remote areas

#32

Post by jacquesm »

andrewmunsell wrote: post #16
ceeplusplus wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought existing Starlink needed a phased array antenna to get decent signal strength. How the hell is a cell phone radio going to reach a satellite?

This is definitely what I am interested in-- how existing cell HW can be picked up by their satellites. Even at low data rates for emergency SMS, etc. (caveat, I'm not a HW or radio engineer), this seems like an incredible feat if they can get it to work.

GPS is an 'incredible feat', that's advanced magic. This is many orders of magnitude more signal strength, even without beam steering. That said, it will still require a pretty sensitive receiver, but nothing on the order of what your cell phone already contains for GPS.

Re: SpaceX, T-Mobile to connect satellites to cellphones in remote areas

#34

Post by mlindner »

basementcat wrote: post #18

AST SpaceMobile will be launching a cellular base station satellite on a SpaceX rocket later this year. https://ast-science.com/

Yes if the SpaceX service succeeds it's kind of a death knell for the likes of AST SpaceMobile and Iridium.

Re: SpaceX, T-Mobile to connect satellites to cellphones in remote areas

#35

Post by fragmede »

nootropicat wrote: post #21
mlindner wrote: post #7

Key notes: * Everywhere in the US and US territories including ocean waters you will get T-Mobile service through Starlink satellites, no additional hardware needed (for the person owning the cell phone anyway) * Beta service starting end of 2023 * Included for free with most T-Mobile plans other than the cheapest plans * More limited features may be added earlier, i.e. texting or emergency calling * Total available…

What the... is that what's possible with 5G? Amazing, and even days ago I was thinking of satellite smartphone internet as something scifi because of (clearly incorrect!) complicated antenna requirements.

Satellite phone Internet previously existed, it's just crazy expensive.

Re: SpaceX, T-Mobile to connect satellites to cellphones in remote areas

#36

Post by mlindner »

nootropicat wrote: post #21
mlindner wrote: post #7

Key notes: * Everywhere in the US and US territories including ocean waters you will get T-Mobile service through Starlink satellites, no additional hardware needed (for the person owning the cell phone anyway) * Beta service starting end of 2023 * Included for free with most T-Mobile plans other than the cheapest plans * More limited features may be added earlier, i.e. texting or emergency calling * Total available…

What the... is that what's possible with 5G? Amazing, and even days ago I was thinking of satellite smartphone internet as something scifi because of (clearly incorrect!) complicated antenna requirements.

No post body was provided.

Re: SpaceX, T-Mobile to connect satellites to cellphones in remote areas

#37

Post by refulgentis »

btown wrote: post #10

This is actually fascinating. T-Mobile doesn’t need a fiber or even cable buildout to a remote location, just power and the local clearances for a tower, they plop a Starlink antenna on the top and bam. Congestion will be a challenge but it will be way better than the current status quo.

No, this needs no new towers or hardware

Re: SpaceX, T-Mobile to connect satellites to cellphones in remote areas

#38

Post by mlindner »

anonymousiam wrote: post #5

I watched the announcement. Knowing Musk, I'll believe it when I see it, but it sounds promising. Apparently the G2 Starlink satellites will be equipped with large antennas to support cellular users on the existing spectrum. Video was live-streamed, and still available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qzli-Ww26Qs

This isn't just SpaceX, this is T-Mobile as well.

Re: SpaceX, T-Mobile to connect satellites to cellphones in remote areas

#39

Post by 0x0000000 »

boredpudding wrote: post #25
samstave wrote: post #9

space based global coverage scares the shit out of me, especially when its 100% commercial interests. Thought you could be untrackable off grid? Think again. Think you can be in an RF free zone, anywhere on planet? Nope. There is no "off-grid" when your grid is literally LAT+LONG 100% data access sounds awesome until you realize that its no longer "surveillance state" and its "surveillance planet"

Oh man, wait till you hear about GPS.

GPS is unidirectional.

Re: SpaceX, T-Mobile to connect satellites to cellphones in remote areas

#40

Post by mlindner »

btown wrote: post #10

This is actually fascinating. T-Mobile doesn’t need a fiber or even cable buildout to a remote location, just power and the local clearances for a tower, they plop a Starlink antenna on the top and bam. Congestion will be a challenge but it will be way better than the current status quo.

No I think you're misunderstanding the service. No towers involved, this is beaming direct from space to cell phones.
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