A few days agoApproved by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)Afterwards, SpaceX began using Falcon 9 rockets to send 21 Starlink communication satellites into low orbit, including 6 satellites capable of direct communication with mobile phones (Direct to Cell), to carry out initial experimental tests.
According to SpaceX's plan, these satellites, capable of direct communication with mobile phones, will allow users to communicate or access the Internet through their mobile phones anywhere they can receive satellite signals. The eNodeB modem system on board the satellites will be able to send wireless signals compatible with 4G LTE technology standards directly to the Earth's surface, allowing existing mobile phones to connect and communicate directly with the satellites without the need for additional hardware or software updates.
SpaceX's future goal is to enable more mobile phones to communicate directly via satellite and establish global communication capabilities without signal blind spots.
Initially, SpaceX will partner with US telecom operator T-Mobile, initially offering SMS messaging, with voice calls, data transfer, and internet access expected to expand later. In addition to T-Mobile, SpaceX will also collaborate with other telecom operators, including Australia's Optus, Canada's Rogers, New Zealand's One NZ, Japan's KDDI, Switzerland's Salt, and Entel in Chile and Peru. SMS services are expected to launch as early as this year, with voice and internet services expected to follow in 2025.
However, Elon Musk also revealed that the current direct mobile phone communication only provides a transmission speed of 7Mbps per light beam, which means that it cannot be compared with existing mobile network services for the time being, but it will be a better choice for areas where network services are difficult to establish.
