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While most African governments and Zimbabwe included are still struggling with best ways to control and contain the Starlink application for satellite connectivity, the Space X company has moved 10 generations ahead by making it possible to connect to their satellites directly from any standard cellphone.
This is the most disruptive technological advancement, deliberately announced while all mobile network operators today are gathered in Barcelona, Spain, for Mobile World Congress to discuss their 5G technology and other tower-based advancements.
The future on mobile telephony business can be now, or its death is nigh!
However, Starlink made it clear that it will be deploying this technology with regulatory authorization, to help boost up their ground network and the data network will only be ready for public in 2025 , and ofcourse for specific countries.
In the meantime they have achieved this groundbreaking development using only 6
The mobile network operators provide critical LTE spectrum in the 1.6- 2.7 GHz range that SpaceX uses to transmit their satellite signals. This allows Starlink to integrate like a standard roaming partner with operators, and together they provide services directly and seamlessly to customers.
Here is a statement on this development by SpaceX
On January 2, 2024, Starlink launched to orbit their first six Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell capabilities. Launch and early tests of the technology were all completed without issue. On Monday, January 8, less than 6 days after launch, they sent and received our first text messages to and from unmodified cell phones on the ground to our new satellites in space using TMobile network spectrum.
This validates that their link budget closes, and the system works! The Direct to Cell network will expand Starlink’s vision by providing ubiquitous connectivity and seamless access to text, voice, and data for LTE phones and devices across the globe.
Text service begins this year, followed by voice, data, and Internet of Things (IoT) services in 2025. Developing a satellite network that connects to unmodified cell phones presents several new technical and regulatory challenges beyond those Starlink has already overcome in deploying a 5,000+ satellite constellation in a few years, serving more than 2.3 million customers across the globe.
Connecting cell phones to satellites has several major challenges to overcome. For example, in terrestrial networks cell towers are stationary, but in a satellite network they move at tens of thousands of miles per hour relative to users on Earth. This requires seamless handoffs between satellites and accommodations for factors like Doppler shift and timing delays that challenge phone to space communications.
Cell phones are also incredibly difficult to connect to satellites hundreds of kilometers away given a mobile phone’s low antenna gain and transmit power. Starlink satellites with the Direct to Cell payload are equipped with innovative new custom silicon, phased array antennas, and advanced software algorithms that overcome these challenges and provide standard LTE service to cell phones on the ground.
As the global leader in rocket and satellite launch and manufacturing, SpaceX is uniquely positioned to rapidly scale our Direct to Cell network and will rapidly launch a constellation of hundreds of satellites to enable text service in 2024 and voice, data, and Internet of Things (IoT) services in 2025
The Direct to Cell network leverages the infrastructure we’ve built for Starlink over the past several years. Direct to Cell satellites plug into the existing Starlink satellite constellation via laser backhaul; meaning even our early satellites can provide services anywhere with regulatory approvals without requiring dedicated ground infrastructure.
We also leverage all the existing networking, ground stations, and Points of Presence (PoPs) Starlink has developed. The Direct to Cell data travels over Starlink’s core directly to the operator’s core, providing a seamless integration.
In August 2022, we announced our first partnership with T-Mobile, and have since announced deals with Rogers in Canada, Optus in Australia, One New Zealand, KDDI in Japan, Salt in Switzerland, and Entel in Chile & Peru.
The operators provide critical LTE spectrum in the 1.6- 2.7 GHz range that we use to transmit our satellite signals. This allows Starlink to integrate like a standard roaming partner with operators, and together we provide services directly and seamlessly to their customers.
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. There is incredible demand and high interest in this program, and handset providers and mobile operators alike are eager to test and participate in a successful rollout.
We worked closely with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to obtain initial authority to launch and test our satellites in record time, and we will continue to work with them to find innovative ways to connect people and save lives in emergencies. We are working closely with regulators around the world to bring this service to their countries as soon as possible.
This year, we look forward to expanding our testing to include greater coverage; launching hundreds of satellites to enable our text constellation; working toward our voice, data, and IoT constellation in 2025; and expanding our global footprint. If interested in joining us feel free to contact us here or look for opportunities to join the team here.
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