If this service can be expanded globally, users will never lose mobile connectivity no matter where they are.
The risk of losing contact while traveling through deserts or getting stranded at sea – places that are often devoid of mobile signal – may soon be a thing of the past if billionaire Elon Musk’s latest project comes to fruition.
Recently, Elon Musk’s company SpaceX announced a collaboration with American carrier T-Mobile to launch a new service that will utilize SpaceX’s Starlink satellite system to provide mobile coverage to every “nook and cranny” of the United States. Furthermore, if it can be expanded in the future, this service could offer coverage worldwide.
According to Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile, there are still over 500,000 square miles (each square mile is approximately 2.6 km2) of dead zones – areas without mobile coverage. He described this project as akin to “putting a cell tower in the sky, but much more challenging.”
SpaceX and T-Mobile plan to create a completely new mobile coverage network.
How Will These Companies Achieve This Project?
Essentially, with this project, SpaceX and T-Mobile intend to create a completely new mobile coverage network, broadcasting from Starlink satellites and utilizing T-Mobile’s existing bandwidth. This service will allow T-Mobile customers to access mobile networks from anywhere across North America, including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and even maritime regions.
Why Is This Possible?
This is made possible thanks to powerful, large antennas mounted on Starlink satellites. “We need to do more than just reprogram the satellites; we are creating a special type of antenna, the most advanced phased array antennas in the world. They need to capture very weak signals sent from your phone,” Musk stated at the service launch event. “It’s a rather complex combination of hardware and software because it moves very quickly – they travel at speeds of over 27,000 km/h. Typically, a cell tower does not move at 27,000 km/h like that.”
T-Mobile’s service also operates similarly to data roaming, where users’ phones will scan for services, and when no nearby cell towers are found, it will connect to the satellite. Most current mobile phones have this technology integrated and do not require any additional devices.
Limitations of the Service
The main issue here is low bandwidth, which limits the service to text messaging only. Coverage areas will also be divided into large zones, with each zone’s connection capability limited to about 2-4MB. Musk mentioned that this would allow each coverage area to handle 1,000-2,000 voice calls or millions of text messages, but this service will not replace ground-based cell towers.
“This is truly meaningful in providing basic coverage for areas that currently have no mobile signal at all,” Musk said. He also noted that initially, there could be delays of “half an hour or worse” for text messages sent through this system.
What Will the Cost of This Service Be?
CEO Sievert hopes that this service will be offered for free within T-Mobile’s most popular plans, while users on cheaper plans may need to pay an additional monthly fee to access it.
Will This Service Be Available Outside the United States?
The possibility remains unclear. Sievert stated that T-Mobile is currently seeking roaming agreements with other carriers outside the U.S., “so that when someone comes to the U.S. and enters national parks that are outside coverage, they can still stay connected. Similarly, when U.S. citizens travel to those countries, they will still be connected.”
Timeline for This Service
In a press release, SpaceX announced that the satellite-based mobile broadcasting service will begin beta testing in select areas by the end of this year, following the launch of new satellites. Musk indicated that in the initial phase of the project, the service would include text messaging, MMS, and “even messaging apps,” although he mentioned they have not yet spoken with app providers about how to integrate their service.
Moreover, following the messaging service, both companies hope to develop capabilities for transmitting voice calls and data. But not only do they aim to provide mobile coverage for the entire world, Musk has even bigger ambitions: “We want to bring T-Mobile to Mars.”
