dead zones

No Signal? No Problem – T-Mobile’s Starlink Satellite Service Launches to End Dead Zones

T-Mobile’s satellite service, T-Satellite, is now live nationwide and out of beta, making it the first major U.S. carrier to offer direct satellite coverage for ordinary smartphones. The service piggybacks SpaceX’s Starlink satellites and requires no extra antenna or app, automatically connecting when the phone can see the sky. T-Satellite relies on a constellation of over 650 Starlink satellites and initially supports SMS and location sharing, with MMS partially supported and iPhone MMS to follow. Intro pricing is $10 per month for a limited time, rising to $15 later, with top-tier plans such as Experience Beyond at $100/month and Go5G

23 July 2025

Starlink’s Sky‑High Cell Service—How T‑Mobile’s October Data Launch Could Obliterate Dead Zones and Rewrite Mobile Internet Forever

On 1 October 2025, T-Mobile and SpaceX will enable third‑party app data for a curated list of apps (WhatsApp, X, Google, Apple, AccuWeather, AllTrails) after the commercial SMS/MMS debut on 23 July 2025. SpaceX has placed more than 650 direct‑to‑cell satellites in orbit, with 657 currently operational forming the initial U.S. mesh. U.S. coverage now spans about 500,000 square miles, with capacity projected to double by 2026 as more satellites with 2 GHz payloads launch. The FCC approved the service in November 2024 as a “public‑interest benefit” and said it can support 911 access in remote areas while deferring higher

24 June 2025

Connectivity · Mobile Internet · NASDAQ:AAPL · NASDAQ:ASTS · NASDAQ:GOOGL · NASDAQ:META · NASDAQ:TMUS · Starlink · T-Mobile · Telecommunications

No Signal? No Problem – Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell Satellites Are Eliminating Dead Zones

August 2022: SpaceX and T-Mobile announced a partnership to provide direct-to-cell connectivity via Starlink satellites, with texting expected in 2023–24 and voice/data thereafter. January 2024: SpaceX achieved the first SMS directly via satellite, enabling a two-way text conversation between ordinary smartphones relayed entirely through space after the first batch of D2C-equipped satellites launched. Gen2 Starlink satellites carry the Direct-to-Cell payload, and the smaller V2 Mini satellites launched on Falcon 9 in 2023–24 were equipped to support these tests. By late 2024, more than 400 Starlink satellites had Direct-to-Cell capability, enabling voice calls, video calls, and IoT tests such as Cat-1

3 June 2025

Connectivity · Innovation · Mobile Technology · Satellites · Starlink