Andreas Schaller’s Post

BREAKING: SpaceX has just completed its first @Starlink Direct to Cell (DTC) commercial orbital satellite constellation after this morning's launch of 12 DTC satellites! The 320+ DTC Starlink satellites (and counting) in orbit will enable ubiquitous access to texting, calling, and browsing wherever you may be on land, lakes, or coastal waters. Direct to Cell will also connect IoT devices with common LTE standards. Direct to Cell works with existing LTE phones wherever you can see the sky. No changes to hardware, firmware, or special apps are required. First services launch first half of 2025. The following telcos have already signed onto Starlink direct to cell: • T-Mobile (USA) • Optus (Australia) • Rogers (Canada) • One NZ (New Zealand) • KDDI (Japan) • Salt (Switzerland) • Entel (Chile) • Entel (Peru) Here is the @SpaceX team having a video call on 𝕏 via Starlink's direct to cell satellites:

Thoughts on this? >> Two giants in the satellite telecom industry join forces to counter Starlink >> Comment below! >>> lqventures.com #digitalhealth #socialmedia #digitalmarketing #IoT #industry40 #AI #healthtech #mhealth

🚀 Starlink's new Direct-to-Cell satellites will connect standard LTE phones globally, making dead zones a thing of the past! 📱 Seamless text messaging starts this year 🔊 Voice and data coming in 2025 🔧 No hardware or app changes needed #GlobalConnectivity #Starlink #TechInnovation 🛰️ Hundreds of satellites to be launched in the coming months 🌐 Partnerships with T-Mobile and other global carriers 🏞️ Eliminates connectivity issues in remote areas 🔌 Potential for IoT device integration by 2025 Why is Starlink Quietly Launching Direct-to-Cell Satellites? https://lnkd.in/gnR-AH5M

Will your toaster soon need #satellite #connectivity? A new Juniper Research survey on the #IoT says it very well may, with a 150% increase in the number of satellites in the next five years. And 98% of them will be low-Earth orbit satellites: https://bit.ly/46TIwfM By the way, if you're interested in #satellites - and low-Earth orbit satellites in particular - be sure to check out our #LEOSatellites and Systems Initiative. Learn more about our efforts to advance #LEOSatS and how you can get involved now at: bit.ly/IEEEFDI-LEOSatS #IEEELEOSatS

SEALSQ to Launch 6 Quantum-Secure Satellites with SpaceX, Revolutionizing Space IoT in 2025: SEALSQ partners with WISeSat to deploy post-quantum cryptography satellites, offering secure Satellite-as-a-Service for IoT and M2M communication ... #iot #data #internetofthings

🚀 Exciting News: T-Mobile and SpaceX to Revolutionize Connectivity! SpaceX has announced plans to launch its "direct-to-cell" service with T-Mobile commercially in the U.S. this fall. This innovative service aims to connect T-Mobile customers to Starlink satellites, eliminating dead zones and expanding coverage to areas without terrestrial networks. 📱 Key Highlights: Wide Coverage: T-Mobile users could soon stay connected in areas where traditional coverage falls short. Potential Pricing: The service might be included in premium plans or available for an additional fee. Phase One: Initial offerings will support text messaging, with voice, data, and IoT services expected to follow next year. As the space race for global connectivity heats up, this partnership between SpaceX and T-Mobile could set a new standard. Stay tuned for more updates! Source: https://lnkd.in/gVVHRW6H Special thanks to Heath G. Cox for Sharing!!! #SpaceX #TMobile #SatelliteTechnology #Connectivity #Telecom #Innovation

Launch of Satellite Constellation to Begin in March: Salarieh the Shahid Soleimani satellite constellation, designed to enhance the Internet of Things (IoT), comprises 20 satellites currently under ... #iot #data #internetofthings

"VMO2 turns to Starlink satellites to boost rural connectivity" Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) is revolutionizing rural connectivity in the Scottish Highlands with SpaceX satellites. Traditional methods don't cut it in these remote areas, so VMO2 is turning to satellites for mobile backhaul. By deploying masts via helicopters and addressing coverage gaps, they're making strides in the Shared Rural Network project. Jeanie York, VMO2's CTO, is leading the charge to bridge the digital divide, exploring satellite tech for emergency services and special events. Cheaper satellite deployment means telecoms like VMO2 are embracing it for future network solutions. #5g #iot #opennetworking #broadband #connectivity #satellite

On January 23, 2025, the founder #SpaceX Elon Musk announced that #Starlink satellite Internet was available on regular smartphones. We are talking about the Starlink Direct to Cell function, which allows you to exchange text messages, make voice calls and browse the web without the need to connect to ground cellular towers. The Starlink Direct to Cell system is compatible with conventional smartphones that support the/standard. 4GLTE This does not require any changes in the hardware or firmware. Special applications also do not need to be installed. This is said to provide uninterrupted access to communication services anywhere in the world, including on water, as well as in remote regions where there is no coverage of the traditional cellular network. Starlink spacecraft with Direct to Cell support carry an advanced eNodeB modem, which acts as a cell tower in space. The technology is compatible with CAT-1, CAT-1 Bis and CAT-4 standards. However, to use Starlink Direct to Cell, the owner of the smartphone must be in an open space: it will not be possible to use this function indoors. At the same time, Starlink Direct to Cell satellites are capable of functioning as standard Starlink grouping devices. In addition to expanding mobile coverage, Starlink Direct to Cell will provide ubiquitous equipment connectivity to the Internet of Things (IoT). Thus, the limitations associated with terrestrial networks can be overcome. Elon Musk's company says the technology will help connect millions of devices in critical global industries. Starlink Direct to Cell satellites are launched into space on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, and in the future it is planned to use Starship for this.

Earlier this year, the Starlink team successfully sent and received their first text messages using T-Mobile network spectrum through one of their new Direct to Cell satellites launched six days prior. 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 the 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. #Starlink #GMTS #DirectToCell #MarineTechnology