T-Mobile and SpaceX launch satellites to expand direct cellular coverage

With the goal of bringing connectivity to every part of the United States, telecommunications company T-Mobile teamed up with aerospace manufacturing company SpaceX to launch the first set of Starlink satellites on Wednesday that will provide direct service to customers’ cellphones.

This new satellite service will benefit more than half a million square miles of the United States, including ocean areas not covered by terrestrial networks due to terrain limitations, land use restrictions and other geographic challenges, he said. written statements.

The new service aims to offer “an extra layer of connectivity” to places most in need. Initially, it will serve as text messaging functionality. and they plan to include voice and data coverage in the coming years, the telco said.

It is not yet known whether the service will be available to local customers. El Nuevo Día has requested the company’s response, but has not yet received a response.

“Our mission is to be the world’s best at connecting customers to their world, and today we have taken a new step forward to keep our customers connected even in the most remote locations, giving them more peace of mind when they need it. this is the most,” notes Mike Katz, President of Marketing, Strategy and Products, T-Mobile.

Four international mobile operators have joined the T-Mobile and SpaceX alliance to expand mobile services. roaming. New suppliers involved in this launch were KDDI (Japan), Optus (Australia), One NZ (New Zealand) and Rogers (Canada). More will soon join them as recruitment is still open.

“Today’s launch (Wednesday) is critical to this revolutionary partnership with SpaceX and our international partners around the world as we work to make dead zones a thing of the past.– Kazt said.

This launch will provide connectivity to virtually the entire country for Un-carrier customers (a simplified plan structure for new customers), including so-called “dead zones” where the signal cannot reach.

The company announced that field testing of a new direct cellular service will soon begin..

For her part, SpaceX’s senior director of satellite engineering, Sarah Spangelo, noted that “the launch of these direct cellular satellites is an incredible milestone for SpaceX in demonstrating our technology.”

“Our goal is to quickly scale direct communications services with our carrier partners around the world and introduce messaging services to T-Mobile customers,” he added.

The launch was announced last year along with the telco’s ‘Coverage Beyond Expectations’ initiative. The satellites were launched into low Earth orbit by a Spacex Falcon 9 rocket from Hawthorne, California.