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Elon Musk’s Starlink project took a giant leap towards bridging the global digital divide on Tuesday, successfully launching six satellites equipped to beam mobile phone service directly to users.
This basically means that one can now easily and directly access the StarLink satellite services using their mobile phones, without any need for satellite units and this will likely be a huge headache for national regulators who were used to authorising spectrum, as most of these services do not need local installation of base stations for access.
The satellites will function like cell towers in space, and have an advanced eNodeB modem onboard that allows network integration similar to a roaming partner. This service will work with any 4G LTE device and most current smartphones are compatible.
Starlink’s parent company Space X, revealed in a statement that the satellites will help provide coverage in cellular dead zones in the most remote locations in the United States and globally.
“The six Starlink satellites on this mission with Direct to Cell capability will further global connectivity and help to eliminate dead zones,” SpaceX said in a post on X
The initial coverage from these satellites will be limited to text messaging in select areas, and the company’s long-term vision encompasses voice and data coverage as well as Internet of Things connectivity which are expected to ramp up as soon as 2025.
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