https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/25/23320722/spacex-starlink-t-mobile-satellite-internet-mobile-messaging“Coverage Above and Beyond” promises to bring an end to dead zonesT-Mobile says it’s getting rid of mobile dead zones thanks to a new partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet, at an event hosted by T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert and Elon Musk.
According to Musk, second-generation Starlink satellites launching next year will be able to broadcast service using part of T-Mobile’s mid-band 5G spectrum. Musk said the new satellites will have “big, big antennas” to enable the new connections, and that the plan is to launch the equipment using its upcoming Starship rocket. The two execs said they’re seeking partnerships with mobile carriers around the world who would be interested in reciprocal spectrum sharing agreements so that their customers can link up with SpaceX, and when T-Mobile customers come to other countries, they could also use those connections.
The company says it’ll let you text, send MMS messages, and even use “select messaging apps” whenever you have a clear view of the sky, even if there’s no traditional service available. “If there aren’t too many people in the cell zone, you may potentially even have a little bit of video,” said Musk. As Sievert described it, operators of messaging apps will need to work with T-Mobile and Starlink for their services to recognize the satellite connection and work with it once it launches.
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