T-Mobile and SpaceX intend to provide connectivity to all regions, even previously inaccessible to traditional cellular signals. True, due to the limited power of phone transmitters, at first, users will only be able to send and receive text messages and MMS at speeds from 2 to 4 Mbps. However, in the future, the technology should develop and then companies will provide coverage for voice and data transmission.
Elon Musk, head of SpaceX, and Mike Sievert, president of T-Mobile, said during a joint press conference at the Starbase Spaceport in Texas that cellular satellite communications will be available wherever there is coverage of the Starlink satellite constellation. The service will still operate on T-Mobile frequencies in the US, although the companies say they are ready to negotiate with providers in other countries to start mutual roaming.
Note, connectivity will be 2 to 4 Mbits per cell zone, so will work great for texting & voice calls, but not high bandwidth
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 26, 2022
“It's very similar to planting a cell tower in the sky, only much more complicated,” Sievert said. “Your phone doesn't really know it's connecting from space. It will think it's connected to a cell tower because this phone uses standard communication protocols on certain frequencies, like the vast majority of phones in circulation today."
Elon Musk added: “We need to do more than just reprogram the satellite. We make a special antenna, the most advanced phased array antenna in the world. They must pick up a very weak signal from your cell phone. There is quite a lot of sophisticated hardware and software out there because it moves very fast - they move overhead at 17,000 miles per hour. Normally, a cell tower doesn't move at 17,000 miles per hour."
T-Mobile expects that satellite communications will be included free of charge in the operator's "most popular tariff plans", although the company has not yet decided on this issue. It is important that subscribers do not have to change existing phones.
Elon Musk also announced on Twitter that Tesla will use this technology in its electric vehicles. Currently, Teslas in America connect to the Internet through AT&T.
