Starlink wants to start testing by 2023 for the connection of smartphones to its satellite network as well, taking advantage of T-Mobile cells in the USA. This should allow you to connect any smartphone, without the need for any hardware modification.
Starlink brings satellite connection to smartphones by 2023
As stated by Jonathan Hofeller, SpaceX’s vice president of corporate sales for Starlink, on a panel at the Satellite 2023 conference in Washington, SpaceX wants to test its Starlink cell satellite service with T-Mobile within this year.
Hofeller said the company expects to learn a lot from the tests. But without analyzing the information too much, aiming instead above all to experiment in the field.
The market for “space” connections could become very profitable. And there are many satellite companies that partner with terrestrial mobile network operators and device manufacturers. To address some glaring coverage gaps around the world.
SpaceX and T-Mobile announced a partnership in August, promising to eliminate mobile dead zones. With the approx 4,000 Starlink satellites launched to datecoverage should be enough. But by adding its most powerful “V2 Mini” satellites, Starlink has quadrupled the capacity of the previous generation.
The company is producing six satellites a day at its facility near Seattle and is no longer producing its former 1.5 series of Starlink satellites. Furthermore, it produces “thousands” of user terminals per day.
SpaceX has well over a million Starlink users and recently announced that its Starlink business “had a positive cash flow quarter” in 2022 and aims to “make money” in 2023. SpaceX is also working on making even larger second-generation satellites, but their launch is closely tied to Starshipthe company’s rocket that has yet to reach space.