Starlink launches satellites to connect mobile phones anywhere, but can’t compete with terrestrial networks: Musk

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has launched the first batch of Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capability that will enable mobile coverage anywhere on earth.

“The six Starlink satellites on this mission with Direct to Cell capability will further global connectivity and help eliminate dead zones,” SpaceX founder Musk tweeted Wednesday.

Musk added that this will allow mobile phone connectivity anywhere on Earth.

He, though, said the direct-to-cell satellites capability only “supports 7Mb per beam and the beams are very big, so while this is a great solution for locations with no cellular connectivity, it is not meaningfully competitive with existing terrestrial cellular networks”.

The latest developments come when Starlink is poised to receive a GMPCS permit soon from the government to launch satellite broadband services in India.

India has also been considering a recent proposal of top broadband-from-space players, Jio Satellite Communications (Jio’s satellite arm) and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb to provide mobile satellite services via enabled smartphones.

Last month, billionaire Musk’s private space venture was reportedly granted approval to test direct-to-cell calls between Starlink satellites and regular mobile phones. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had approved SpaceX’s request for the new satellite technology for a duration of six months that will involve 2,000 test devices and 840 satellites using airwaves in partnership with T-Mobile.