Elon Musk’s SpaceX has launched its first batch of Starlink satellites to provide mobile phone service anywhere in the world, announcing this achievement on Wednesday. The billionaire warned that this service will not effectively compete with terrestrial networks but will help fill gaps in mobile coverage and enhance global mobile communications.
Key Facts
SpaceX confirmed that six of the Starlink satellites launched on Tuesday are capable of direct communication with mobile phones.
These satellites are designed to function as mobile phone towers in space, according to the Starlink website.
SpaceX announced that the satellites will first be used to test direct mobile phone communication service in the United States, where the company has partnered with T-Mobile.
Once activated, the service will connect to regular, unmodified phones without the need for additional equipment, as long as they are compatible with 4G LTE technology, a standard that covers “the vast majority of smartphones” already operating on T-Mobile’s network since 2022.
Important Quote
Musk celebrated the launch’s success and said that the satellites “will allow mobile phone communication anywhere on Earth.” However, he highlighted the technology’s limitations, stating: “While this is a great solution for areas with no cellular coverage, it does not effectively compete with existing terrestrial cellular networks,” referring to the relatively limited bandwidth spread over a large area. Starlink also notes that the satellites will enable users to connect “wherever you can see the sky.”
What to Watch For
Starlink ultimately plans to provide direct mobile phone communication service to customers on networks worldwide, stating that customers will remain “seamlessly connected.” In addition to T-Mobile in the United States, the company has already announced partnerships with telecom operators around the world, including Optus in Australia, Rogers in Canada, One NZ in New Zealand, KDDI in Japan, Salt in Switzerland, and Entel in Chile and Peru. It is unclear when those services will be activated or what the specific details of the connectivity will be inside and outside.
Main Background
Although wireless technology has changed the way we communicate, it still faces limitations, and even developed countries have areas where signal quality is weak or non-existent, known as dead zones. This issue can be particularly acute in remote areas or those with challenging terrain where geography can make signal transmission difficult. Starlink, which aims to provide high-speed internet service anywhere in the world and has already used its satellites to connect citizens in war-torn Ukraine, hopes to eliminate dead zones by transmitting signals from space.
Forbes Estimates
$251.3 billion. This is Forbes’ estimate of Musk’s net worth. He is the richest person in the world, surpassing French businessman Bernard Arnault, the second richest person, by an estimated margin of about $60 billion. His wealth comes largely from a series of companies he has co-founded and run, including electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, SpaceX (which manages Starlink), Neuralink, and the engineering firm Boring Company. Musk also operates X, an app that aspires to be everything, which he controversially purchased as Twitter for $44 billion in 2022.
The Big Number
42,000. This is the number of satellites Musk hopes will be in the Starlink constellation. The company is currently working to form a constellation of 12,000 satellites, and launch data reports indicate that more than 5,000 satellites were already in orbit by the end of 2023.
Reading
Additional
SpaceX Gets US Approval to Test Direct-to-Cell Calls Via Starlink (Bloomberg)
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