Starlink’s website update sheds light on its ambitious plans for a satellite-based mobile phone service. The newly unveiled “Starlink Direct to Cell” page promises “ubiquitous coverage” through “cellphone towers in space,” operating seamlessly over standard LTE networks. According to the current roadmap, text services are slated to begin in 2024, followed by voice and data services in 2025, with IoT (Internet of Things) service also expected in 2025.

Traditionally, satellite phone connectivity has required large, purpose-built hardware, exemplified by the older Iridium network phones. For limited emergency texting, Apple introduced a connectivity paradigm that necessitated being within a connectivity window, holding up a phone, and following a signal-targeting app. Starlink aims to revolutionize this by enabling full-fledged space connectivity on regular smartphone hardware.

Starlink Direct to Cell sets itself apart through several foundational improvements. Firstly, other satellite networks operate in higher orbits; for instance, the iPhone’s Globalstar network resides at 1,400 km above Earth, and Iridium at 781 km, whereas Starlink orbits much closer to Earth, at around 550 km. Another key distinction is SpaceX’s development of the world’s largest rocket, Starship. With the capacity to launch the largest satellites, Starlink can deploy larger, more sensitive antennas, making it easier for conventional smartphones to connect to these closer, larger satellites, thereby enabling a level of cellular space service previously unattainable.

Once the space network becomes operational, SpaceX assures that its service “works with existing LTE phones wherever you can see the sky, requiring no changes to hardware, firmware, or special apps, providing seamless access to text, voice, and data.” However, Starlink satellites will undergo hardware modifications, with the latest versions equipped with the necessary LTE components. While the webpage does not specify expected service speeds, when the project was announced in 2022, it claimed speeds of 2–4 Mbps.

The page notes that Starlink satellites featuring Direct to Cell capability will initially launch aboard the reliable Falcon 9 rocket, transitioning to Starship as the program progresses. The shift to Starship represents a significant capability enhancement, as the full-size “V2” satellites, which Starlink plans to deploy, do not fit within the smaller Falcon 9. Currently, the company relies on “V2 Mini” variants due to Starship’s ongoing delays. The projected 2025 and 2026 service upgrades for Direct to Cell are likely dependent on the successful deployment of the larger Starship rocket.

In line with SpaceX’s tradition, it is prudent to approach these timelines with some skepticism, as the original plan to launch a “beta service” this year seems uncertain.

When the new network eventually becomes operational, SpaceX has partnered with several established cellular service providers to offer its services. The page mentions T-Mobile in the US, Rodgers in Canada, KDDI in Japan, Optus in Australia, One NZ in New Zealand, and Salt in Switzerland as confirmed partners, with additional cellular partners being sought through the newly launched promo page.

By Impact Lab