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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

#71

Post by jacquesm »

jahlove wrote: post #46
jacquesm wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

GPS receivers do not transmit information back to the satellites. Presumably these cell phone users will want two-way communication.

It's straight up, line of sight. The biggest issue will be water in the atmosphere. Compared to your average urban canyon it probably isn't all that bad.

Consider that HAMs routinely work insane distances with extremely little power LOS is relatively easy, especially if one side is a satellite with a beefy antenna for both transmission and reception. I'm more interested in the power budget than whether or not they can close the distance and what the effect is on the cell phone's battery life.

GPS receivers in a cell phone work at or under the noise floor, which to me is advanced magic. This will be way above that.

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

#73

Post by lettergram »

Dear SpaceX,

How about you just give me service in middle USA. I pre-ordered in 2021, you’re currently saying I have to wait until 2023. What gives? You’re launching over oceans, Europe, South America, why not Missouri or Indiana or Kentucky?

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

#75

Post by judge2020 »

mlindner wrote: post #58
arbuge wrote: post #55

More detail here: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/25/spacex-and-t-mobile-team-up-... "T-Mobile users will be able to use messaging, MMS and certain messaging apps, from remote points across the lower 48 states, Alaska, Puerto Rico and Hawaii and even some remote points in the water. Eventually, the service will work with voice, Sievert said. T-Mobile plans to include the service in its most popular mobile plans but did…

> T-Mobile plans to include the service in its most popular mobile plans but did not disclose specific pricing. No, he said that it would "most likely" be included with the most popular mobile plans for free.

"I would expect our pricing for this service to be the un-carrier's favorite price: we expect, on our most popular plans, for this service to be included for free"

https://youtu.be/Qzli-Ww26Qs?t=851

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

#76

Post by wongarsu »

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.

4G/LTE was commonly quoted as 3km range for rural installations (using the 2GHz bands). 5G added 700MHz and 800MHz bands that are quoted as 10-20km achievable range. For typical cell tower heights 20km is about the range where they would sink behind the horizon, so that might be the practical limit here.

Starlink satellites are about 330km up, so one order of magnitude further. But they also have basically unobstructed line of sight (if you are under blue sky). Compared to the normal conditions a cell phone has to deal with that might get you a substantial improvement. I think it's plausible that at least some existing phones can do it, with the tiny bandwidth you would expect from a poor signal.

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

#77

Post by post_break »

lettergram wrote: post #73

Dear SpaceX, How about you just give me service in middle USA. I pre-ordered in 2021, you’re currently saying I have to wait until 2023. What gives? You’re launching over oceans, Europe, South America, why not Missouri or Indiana or Kentucky?

Probably because the base station in that area is maxed out. Not a limitation of the part in space.

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

#78

Post by xcskier56 »

While I see the great potential in this technology, the collateral damage is the loss of places where one can truly disconnect.

I just got back from 4 days camping at a remote mountain lake with zero phone coverage, and it’s one of the most incredible ways to fully recharge and step away from the day to day treadmill of the modern world. When we loose the possibility to completely disconnect, I at least, will feel a loss of the true wilderness.

I’m not debating the usefulness of this or saying it shouldn’t happen. Having cell service everywhere will undoubtedly save lives, but it’s not without a price in loosing true wildernesses

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

#79

Post by mijowi »

xcskier56 wrote: post #78

While I see the great potential in this technology, the collateral damage is the loss of places where one can truly disconnect. I just got back from 4 days camping at a remote mountain lake with zero phone coverage, and it’s one of the most incredible ways to fully recharge and step away from the day to day treadmill of the modern world. When we loose the possibility to completely disconnect, I at least, will feel a…

You could just not bring your phone. I would still feel disconnected without any civilization around.

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

#80

Post by simfree »

lettergram wrote: post #73

Dear SpaceX, How about you just give me service in middle USA. I pre-ordered in 2021, you’re currently saying I have to wait until 2023. What gives? You’re launching over oceans, Europe, South America, why not Missouri or Indiana or Kentucky?

Building and shopping dishes at a loss is expensive and requires money to scale, signing roaming agreements that bring in cash with no customer service work or hardware manufacturing required is comparatively easy.
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