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Starlink Successfully Tests Space Direct to Cell Mobile Service

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Re: Starlink Successfully Tests Space Direct to Cell Mobile Service

#2
>On Monday, January 8, the Starlink team successfully sent and received our first text messages using T-Mobile network spectrum through one of our new Direct to Cell satellites launched six days prior. Connecting cell phones to satellites has several major challenges to overcome.

FOR decades I have wanted a modern Pager - an SMS ONLY device,.

Before Android, there were a few devices that were headed there, but the hiptop made it for a while and Danger begat Android (and a $200 million dollar exit for Rubin)...

But you know what device is PERFECT for this:

HOT BUNNY 1 [0]

but modified to have a thin connection via starlink - if mods are required.

[0] https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/hot-bunny-aler...

Re: Starlink Successfully Tests Space Direct to Cell Mobile Service

#3
post #2

> On Monday, January 8, the Starlink team successfully sent and received our first text messages using T-Mobile network spectrum through one of our new Direct to Cell satellites launched six days prior. Connecting cell phones to satellites has several major challenges to overcome. FOR decades I have wanted a modern Pager - an SMS ONLY device,. Before Android, there were a few devices that were headed there, but the h…

+1, sign me up, like a Star Trek communicator with global coverage

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communicator_(Star_Trek)

Re: Starlink Successfully Tests Space Direct to Cell Mobile Service

#5
I don't know if this has been announced before: "Operators in our network have access to reciprocal global access that allows their users to access the service when they travel to one of our partner countries." [1]

It sounds like once SpaceX has partnered with at least one carrier in most countries then you'll be able to travel to almost any point on the surface of the Earth and still have baseline emergency cell texting coverage, the only requirement being a decent view of the sky. This is going to save lives. I hope they are also allowed to make it work in places without carriers, like international waters and Antarctica.

[1] https://api.starlink.com/public-files/DIRECT_TO_CELL_FIRST_T...

Re: Starlink Successfully Tests Space Direct to Cell Mobile Service

#6
post #5

I don't know if this has been announced before: "Operators in our network have access to reciprocal global access that allows their users to access the service when they travel to one of our partner countries." [1] It sounds like once SpaceX has partnered with at least one carrier in most countries then you'll be able to travel to almost any point on the surface of the Earth and still have baseline emergency cell tex…

I assume this works like traditional cellular roaming, no? So this would mean you have to be a customer of one of the service providers to get reciprocated roaming capabilities abroad.

Re: Starlink Successfully Tests Space Direct to Cell Mobile Service

#7
post #6
post #5

I don't know if this has been announced before: "Operators in our network have access to reciprocal global access that allows their users to access the service when they travel to one of our partner countries." [1] It sounds like once SpaceX has partnered with at least one carrier in most countries then you'll be able to travel to almost any point on the surface of the Earth and still have baseline emergency cell tex…

I assume this works like traditional cellular roaming, no? So this would mean you have to be a customer of one of the service providers to get reciprocated roaming capabilities abroad.

Yes, you would need service with one of the partners to get roaming on all of them. Although on terrestrial networks in the US at least 911 service is supposed to work even on phones without any carrier plan. Maybe they can eventually work it out so that texting emergency services works on any phone anywhere globally even without service. That would be a great achievement for humanity.

Re: Starlink Successfully Tests Space Direct to Cell Mobile Service

#9
post #8
post #4

Skimming the article I couldn’t find which phone models they tested with. Any ideas?

It specifically was unspecified. [This Comment Intentionally Left Blank]

Why would that be?

> with regular unmodified Smartphones

Why are they being so cagey?

Re: Starlink Successfully Tests Space Direct to Cell Mobile Service

#10
post #2

> On Monday, January 8, the Starlink team successfully sent and received our first text messages using T-Mobile network spectrum through one of our new Direct to Cell satellites launched six days prior. Connecting cell phones to satellites has several major challenges to overcome. FOR decades I have wanted a modern Pager - an SMS ONLY device,. Before Android, there were a few devices that were headed there, but the h…

+1, sign me up, like a Star Trek communicator with global coverage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communicator_(Star_Trek)

The future is now. Soon, in the middle of the Pacific ocean:

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