The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted approval for SpaceX to turn on its Starlink Direct to Cell satellites, targeting areas with limited or no T-Mobile cellular connectivity in the United States.
The approval was announced by SpaceX Sr Director, Satellite Engineering Ben Longmier on X.
Thank you to @NASA , @NTIAgov , @NSF , for their coordination work with us, and all of our telco partners, especially @TMobile !
— Ben Longmier (@longmier) November 26, 2024
We hope to activate employee beta service in the US soon.
The partnership between SpaceX and T-Mobile, announced in 2022, aims to bring satellite-to-cellular connectivity to underserved areas across the United States. This partnership leverages SpaceX’s second-generation Starlink satellites, which are equipped with Direct to Cell technology, enabling them to integrate seamlessly with T-Mobile’s existing infrastructure.
SpaceX has already launched enough satellites. over 320 of them, to establish the first orbital shell for the Direct to Cell service.
Initial tests of the cellular Starlink technology have demonstrated promising results, with download speeds reaching up to 17 Mbps and connectivity achievable even indoors. SpaceX plans to launch a beta program for employees before rolling out the service to consumers. The companies expect to introduce satellite-enabled text messaging capabilities first, with voice and data services anticipated later in 2025.
While the service is nearing its launch with T-Mobile in the US, Rogers in Canada is still waiting for regulatory approval to begin testing.
