Existing smartphones will connect with new satellite constellations in 2023
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Re: Existing smartphones will connect with new satellite constellations in 2023
#2Just as a PSA in case not everyone knows this new feature.
In the US and a growing number of other countries, the latest iPhones have a satellite network for emergencies.
If tech giants are going to spend money on something cool, might as well use it.
Re: Existing smartphones will connect with new satellite constellations in 2023
#3SpaceX and T-Mobile are starting a trial in late-2023
to use unmodified handsets for text (and later, voice and data) with the Starlink V2 network to remove cell coverage dead-zones. [1] [2]
It's achieved by "dedicating a slice of T-Mobile's Mid-Band PCS [1.9 GHz] spectrum, to be integrated into Starlink satellites, launched next year", with each Starlink V2 satellite hosting two 5-6 meter long cell-spectrum antennas, in addition to the existing Ka- and Ku-band antennas.
They're aiming for the US with the trial, and growing to global coverage by entering into reciprocal roaming agreements with the international carriers who hold licences to the relevant mid-band spectrum.
Elon Musk says "this won't have the kind of bandwidth that a Starlink terminal would have, but it will enable texting. It will enable images. And if there aren't too many people in the in the cell-zone, you could even potentially have a little bit of video."
Musk claims 2 to 4 megabits per cell-zone, 1000-2000 simultaneous voice calls per cell-zone, with the cell-zone of course being much larger than a terrestrial cell-tower.
[1] https://www.t-mobile.com/news/un-carrier/t-mobile-takes-cove...
Re: Existing smartphones will connect with new satellite constellations in 2023
#4I'm just glad because that's going to end the longstanding misconception that phones are connected to satellites. They will finally be.
Re: Existing smartphones will connect with new satellite constellations in 2023
#5I understand that a phone can receive a cellular signal from a satellite. But how can it transmit to a satellite given its limited transmission power (2-3 watts max)?
Edit: googling my own question https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/09/a-virginia-company-h...
Re: Existing smartphones will connect with new satellite constellations in 2023
#6SpaceX and T-Mobile are starting a trial in late-2023 to use unmodified handsets for text (and later, voice and data) with the Starlink V2 network to remove cell coverage dead-zones. [1] [2] It's achieved by "dedicating a slice of T-Mobile's Mid-Band PCS [1.9 GHz] spectrum, to be integrated into Starlink satellites, launched next year", with each Starlink V2 satellite hosting two 5-6 meter long cell-spectrum antennas…
Odd that it's not mentioned in the article as this is probably the most ambitious proposal in this area.
Re: Existing smartphones will connect with new satellite constellations in 2023
#7SpaceX and T-Mobile are starting a trial in late-2023 to use unmodified handsets for text (and later, voice and data) with the Starlink V2 network to remove cell coverage dead-zones. [1] [2] It's achieved by "dedicating a slice of T-Mobile's Mid-Band PCS [1.9 GHz] spectrum, to be integrated into Starlink satellites, launched next year", with each Starlink V2 satellite hosting two 5-6 meter long cell-spectrum antennas…
Odd that it's not mentioned in the article as this is probably the most ambitious proposal in this area.
It is mentioned in the article.
> Splashy announcements of satellite-cellular connectivity from Apple, Starlink, and T-Mobile in the third quarter of 2022 promoted the idea of anywhere, any-kind connectivity.
Re: Existing smartphones will connect with new satellite constellations in 2023
#8I'm just glad because that's going to end the longstanding misconception that phones are connected to satellites. They will finally be.
[deleted]
Re: Existing smartphones will connect with new satellite constellations in 2023
#9I'm just glad because that's going to end the longstanding misconception that phones are connected to satellites. They will finally be.
I have never heard of this misconception, but fixing the notoriously unreliable mobile coverage by turning existing phones into "satellite (internet!) phones" sounds wild
Re: Existing smartphones will connect with new satellite constellations in 2023
#10So there's Bluewalker 3 which uses a big antenna to achieve communications with unmodified cell phones, and then Elon claiming that regular Starlink satellites will be able to do the same thing without that ginormous antenna. How does that work? Both are at roughly similar altitudes, BW3 just slightly higher.