SpaceX has successfully sent and received text messages using its Starlink satellites. This achievement comes just six days after SpaceX’s launch of their first Starlink satellites equipped with direct-to-cell capabilities.
According to a post from SpaceX on X (formerly Twitter), multiple text messages were transmitted between unmodified cell phones on earth and SpaceX’s newly launched Starlink satellites in low-earth orbit. The tests were conducted using T-Mobile’s network in the US.
The company did not share what that first text messages said.
The SpaceX team sent and received our first text messages through our Direct to Cell satellites just six days after launch → https://t.co/wMHDtCbRXA pic.twitter.com/0tUYnIqaem
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 10, 2024
The new Starlink satellites are equipped with technology that allows them to communicate using 4G technology via an LTE modem onboard. What makes the feature remarkable is that it can be used with any modern cell phone without the need for modification.
This first successful test paves the way for SpaceX to offer a direct-to-cell text service later this year, with plans to expand into voice, data, and Internet of Things services by 2025.
SpaceX’s collaboration extends beyond T-Mobile, with partnerships with Rogers in Canada, Japan, Australia, and other countries. This global network ensures that customers of these carriers can access the Starlink direct-to-cell service wherever coverage is available.
