Latest news with #satelliteinternet
CNET
5 days ago
- Business
- CNET
T-Mobile's Starlink Service Launches Next Week. Here's How to Get It on Any Carrier
We're less than a week away from the launch of T-Mobile's partnership with SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service. The direct-to-cell messaging service, called T-Satellite, will also be available to AT&T and Verizon cellphone customers. T-Mobile says its goal is to "eliminate mobile dead zones for good" by way of 657 Starlink satellites that'll be used exclusively for cellphone service. T-Satellite has been in beta testing since December 2024, with nearly 1.8 million users signing up so far. The direct-to-cell messaging service represents a major step forward in mobile technology: It works with most phones made during the last four years, according to T-Mobile, instead of requiring dedicated hardware. It'll be available to T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon customers for $10 a month -- or free for anyone on T-Mobile's Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plans. "At the end of the day, it's nice to be able to send a selfie when you're in a place where there is no coverage, but it's vital to be able to connect to emergency services," Mike Katz, T-Mobile president of marketing, strategy and products, told CNET's Jeff Carlson. "We just think that with a technology like this, no customer should ever be in a situation where they are unconnected in an emergency." Sadly, T-Mobile has already had a reason to test out this emergency service, when it enabled T-Satellite earlier this week in communities affected by massive flooding in Central Texas. T-Mobile customers in the area are able to use text-to-911 and basic text messaging, and they can receive emergency alerts on compatible devices. In the future, T-Satellite will be free for emergency uses across the country. The company said 911 texting will be available later this year to "any mobile customer with a compatible device, regardless of carrier or whether or not they are subscribed to the service." What is T-Satellite? T-Satellite is a partnership between T-Mobile and Starlink that will allow direct-to-cell SMS messaging accessibility in areas where there is no cellular coverage. Starlink has more than 7,000 low-Earth orbit satellites in the sky, and now, 657 of them will be devoted entirely to T-Satellite. The goal is to expand coverage into the 500,000 square miles of the US that traditional cell towers can't reach, says T-Mobile. 'When you leave the terrestrial network and you go to a place where there's no network, your phone will automatically search for and connect to the satellite network, which is quite different than any other of the satellite systems that are out there that force you to manually connect, and you have to point your phone up to the sky," says Katz. Satellite connectivity in cellphones isn't exactly new -- iPhones have had it since 2022 -- but it's typically been reserved for SOS messaging to connect you with an emergency dispatcher. On July 23, T-Satellite users will be able to send SMS texts on iPhone and Android. Android users will also get MMS immediately, with iPhone support 'to follow.' This means users will be able to send images and audio clips in addition to standard text messages. In October, the service will expand to include data support in third-party apps like AccuWeather, AllTrails, WhatsApp and X. The access takes advantage of hooks built into iOS and Android software, so developers can make their apps capable of sending data through the narrow amounts of bandwidth available via satellite. This is far beyond what the other phone carriers have launched so far in the satellite realm -- largely due to T-Mobile's partnership with Starlink. AT&T and Verizon have both partnered with AST SpaceMobile for satellite messaging, and Verizon told CNET's Eli Blumenthal last year that it's still planning on working with Amazon's Project Kuiper, which launched its first 27 satellites on April 28, 2025. 'Despite things that our competitors have said, they are way, way behind on this technology,' says Katz. How much will T-Satellite cost? On July 23, T-Satellite will be available to AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon customers for a standalone $10 per month. But there's one exception: Customers on T-Mobile's Experience Beyond plan ($100 per month for one line) or the Go5G Next plan will get the service for included in the cost of the plan going forward, and those on the Experience More plan ($85 per month) will get it through the end of the year. Even if you don't pay the $10 a month, T-Mobile says 911 texting will be available later this year 'to any mobile customer with a compatible device, regardless of carrier.' If you're a Verizon or AT&T customer, you'll have to activate T-Satellite as a second eSIM on your phone to take advantage of the service. You can find instructions on setting up the eSIM here. Which phones are supported? Most phones released in the past couple of years will work with T-Satellite. Here are the devices that are currently compatible with the beta version: Apple iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 (all models) Google Google Pixel 9 Google Pixel 9A Google Pixel 9 Pro Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Motorola Moto G Stylus 2025 Moto Razr 2024 Moto Razr Plus 2024 Moto Razr 2025 Moto Razr Plus 2025 Moto Razr Ultra 2025 Moto Razr Ultra Plus 2025 Samsung Samsung Galaxy A25 5G SE* Samsung Galaxy A35 5G Samsung Galaxy A36 Samsung Galaxy A36 SE Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Samsung Galaxy A54 5G* Samsung Galaxy S21 Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Samsung Galaxy S22 Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S22 FE Samsung Galaxy S23 Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Samsung Galaxy S25 Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 Pro Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 *Some non-T-Mobile device variants are not satellite-capable. When T-Satellite launches on July 23, the following devices will also be compatible: Motorola Motorola Edge 2024 Moto G 2024 Moto G Stylus 2024 Moto G 5G 2024 Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 Samsung Samsung Galaxy A14 Samsung Galaxy A15* Samsung Galaxy A16 Samsung Galaxy A35 Samsung Galaxy A53* Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro *Some non-T-Mobile device variants are not satellite-capable. T-Mobile T-Mobile Revvl 7 T-Mobile Revvl 7 Pro How to try T-Mobile's Starlink service today If you're anxious to try T-Mobile's Starlink satellite messaging service and don't want to wait until July 23, you can still attempt to sign up for the beta. I wouldn't hold out too much hope, though -- when I entered my information, I got a message back saying, 'Due to high demand, we're admitting beta testers on a rolling basis. Keep an eye out for an update in the coming weeks.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ukraine to offer mobile phone data in partnership with Elon Musk's Starlink
A Ukrainian mobile operator claims to be the first company in Europe to test satellite internet that goes directly to a cell phone. Kyivstar announced earlier this month that direct to cell (DTC) testing had started with Elon Musk's SpaceX, the parent company of Starlink. During the test, mobile phones with 4G or LTE networks connected directly to a satellite in orbit so they could send and receive text messages. The eventual Starlink partnership will give Ukrainians access to the internet in so-called 'white spots,' regions that don't get traditional mobile coverage including mountainous and rural areas. The company said the DTC connection is 'especially important in wartime when infrastructure may be damaged or power outages may occur'. Related Eutelsat in talks to increase satellite terminals in Ukraine amid Starlink service concern Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov confirmed to Reuters that Starlink-powered mobile connections will become available by mid-2026. Starlink has been used by Ukrainian military and civilians since March 2022, when Musk agreed to ship kits for the internet network directly to homes. However, the use of Starlink during the war has been met with backlash. Reuters reported in February that Musk had threatened to turn off the satellites if Ukraine did not make a deal with the United States on critical minerals. Musk later denied the claims, saying that Starlink will 'never turn off its terminals,' in Ukraine. Euronews Next reached out to SpaceX and Kyivstar but did not get an immediate reply. European authorities have been testing several companies to see whether they could become a replacement for Musk's Starlink in Ukraine. In March, Euronews Next reported that satellite operator Eutelsat was in talks to increase its satellite capability in Ukraine in response to the threats from Musk. The Franco-British company has more than 630 satellites moving in low-Earth orbit around the world that offer the 'same capacities' as Starlink for coverage and response time, a spokesperson for the company said at the time. Eutelsat is already being used in Ukraine to 'support government and institutional communications,' the company added. Related Govsatcom, Eutelsat, Iris2: Ukraine seeks European alternatives to Starlink Another alternative that Europe is considering is the IRIS2 project, a network of 290 satellites in low and medium Earth orbit that could offer ultra-fast transmission services for users. Christophe Grudler, rapporteur for the project at the European Parliament, previously told Euronews that IRIS2 should be operational by 2028, two years before the initial launch date of 2030. It was not immediately clear whether Starlink's expansion would affect those plans. Euronews Next reached out to Eutelsat and the consortium behind IRIS2 but did not immediately hear back.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Amazon's Kuiper satellites to get boost from rival SpaceX
Amazon's race to challenge SpaceX in orbit is getting a helping hand from its chief competitor: SpaceX itself, which will launch the next batch of Amazon's Project Kuiper internet satellites skyward on Wednesday. A flock of 24 Kuiper internet satellites will ride aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket before dawn. The mission, dubbed KF-01, has a 27-minute launch window that opens at 2:18 AM ET and will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Once complete, it will bring the total number of Kuiper satellites on orbit to 78. Amazon ultimately plans to deploy more than 3,200 spacecraft in its first generation constellation in low Earth orbit, aiming to stake a serious claim in the satellite internet market — a market that is currently dominated by SpaceX's Starlink's network of roughly 8,000 satellites. While Kuiper and SpaceX may make for strange bedfellows, Jeff Bezos' Amazon inked a three-launch deal with SpaceX back in December 2023. That agreement came scarcely two months after the e-commerce giant faced a lawsuit from shareholders over an earlier decision not to consider SpaceX when it doled out its first round of lucrative launch contracts, even though the Falcon 9 is the most reliable rocket flying today. The catch is, at least half of Kuiper's initial constellation must be deployed by by the end of July 2026, per its license from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. The clock is ticking: among the other selected launch providers — United Launch Alliance (ULA), Arianespace, and Blue Origin — only ULA has an operational rocket available to carry satellites to orbit. ULA launched the first two batches of Kuiper satellites; the first batch launched in April. Blue Origin, Bezos' other company, will eventually carry Kuiper satellites on its massive New Glenn rocket, but it has only flown once so far, and it did not manage to recover the booster. The second launch is currently scheduled for August 15. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
TechCrunch
6 days ago
- Business
- TechCrunch
Amazon's Kuiper satellites to get boost from rival SpaceX
Amazon's race to challenge SpaceX in orbit is getting a helping hand from its chief competitor: SpaceX itself, which will launch the next batch of Amazon's Project Kuiper internet satellites skyward on Wednesday. A flock of 24 Kuiper internet satellites will ride aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket before dawn. The mission, dubbed KF-01, has a 27-minute launch window that opens at 2:18 AM ET and will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Once complete, it will bring the total number of Kuiper satellites on orbit to 78. Amazon ultimately plans to deploy more than 3,200 spacecraft in its first generation constellation in low Earth orbit, aiming to stake a serious claim in the satellite internet market — a market that is currently dominated by SpaceX's Starlink's network of roughly 8,000 satellites. While Kuiper and SpaceX may make for strange bedfellows, Jeff Bezos' Amazon inked a three-launch deal with SpaceX back in December 2023. That agreement came scarcely two months after the e-commerce giant faced a lawsuit from shareholders over an earlier decision not to consider SpaceX when it doled out its first round of lucrative launch contracts, even though the Falcon 9 is the most reliable rocket flying today. The catch is, at least half of Kuiper's initial constellation must be deployed by by the end of July 2026, per its license from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. The clock is ticking: among the other selected launch providers — United Launch Alliance (ULA), Arianespace, and Blue Origin — only ULA has an operational rocket available to carry satellites to orbit. ULA launched the first two batches of Kuiper satellites; the first batch launched in April. Blue Origin, Bezos' other company, will eventually carry Kuiper satellites on its massive New Glenn rocket, but it has only flown once so far, and it did not manage to recover the booster. The second launch is currently scheduled for August 15.
CNET
11-07-2025
- Business
- CNET
T-Mobile Is Bringing Starlink Satellite Access to Your Phone, Even if You're on a Different Carrier
Going off-grid might soon be a thing of the past, as T-Mobile's partnership with SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service gets ready to launch on July 23. The direct-to-cell messaging service, called T-Satellite, will also be available to AT&T and Verizon cellphone customers. T-Mobile says its goal is to "eliminate mobile dead zones for good" by way of 657 Starlink satellites that'll be used exclusively for cellphone service. T-Satellite has been in beta testing since December 2024, with nearly 1.8 million users signing up so far. The direct-to-cell messaging service represents a major step forward in mobile technology: It works with most phones made during the last four years, according to T-Mobile, instead of requiring dedicated hardware. It'll be available to T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon customers for $10 a month -- or free for anyone on T-Mobile's Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plans. "At the end of the day, it's nice to be able to send a selfie when you're in a place where there is no coverage, but it's vital to be able to connect to emergency services," Mike Katz, T-Mobile president of marketing, strategy and products, told CNET's Jeff Carlson. "We just think that with a technology like this, no customer should ever be in a situation where they are unconnected in an emergency." Sadly, T-Mobile has already had a reason to test out this emergency service, when it enabled T-Satellite earlier this week in communities affected by massive flooding in Central Texas. T-Mobile customers in the area are able to use text-to-911 and basic text messaging, and they can receive emergency alerts on compatible devices. In the future, T-Satellite will be free for emergency uses across the country. The company said 911 texting will be available later this year to "any mobile customer with a compatible device, regardless of carrier or whether or not they are subscribed to the service." What is T-Satellite? T-Satellite is a partnership between T-Mobile and Starlink that will allow direct-to-cell SMS messaging accessibility in areas where there is no cellular coverage. Starlink has more than 7,000 low-Earth orbit satellites in the sky, and now, 657 of them will be devoted entirely to T-Satellite. The goal is to expand coverage into the 500,000 square miles of the US that traditional cell towers can't reach, says T-Mobile. 'When you leave the terrestrial network and you go to a place where there's no network, your phone will automatically search for and connect to the satellite network, which is quite different than any other of the satellite systems that are out there that force you to manually connect, and you have to point your phone up to the sky," says Katz. Satellite connectivity in cellphones isn't exactly new -- iPhones have had it since 2022 -- but it's typically been reserved for SOS messaging to connect you with an emergency dispatcher. On July 23, T-Satellite users will be able to send SMS texts on iPhone and Android. Android users will also get MMS immediately, with iPhone support 'to follow.' This means users will be able to send images and audio clips in addition to standard text messages. In October, the service will expand to include data support in third-party apps like AccuWeather, AllTrails, WhatsApp and X. The access takes advantage of hooks built into iOS and Android software, so developers can make their apps capable of sending data through the narrow amounts of bandwidth available via satellite. This is far beyond what the other phone carriers have launched so far in the satellite realm -- largely due to T-Mobile's partnership with Starlink. AT&T and Verizon have both partnered with AST SpaceMobile for satellite messaging, and Verizon told CNET's Eli Blumenthal last year that it's still planning on working with Amazon's Project Kuiper, which launched its first 27 satellites on April 28, 2025. 'Despite things that our competitors have said, they are way, way behind on this technology,' says Katz. How much will T-Satellite cost? On July 23, T-Satellite will be available to AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon customers for a standalone $10 per month. But there's one exception: Customers on T-Mobile's Experience Beyond plan ($100 per month for one line) or the Go5G Next plan will get the service for included in the cost of the plan going forward, and those on the Experience More plan ($85 per month) will get it through the end of the year. Even if you don't pay the $10 a month, T-Mobile says 911 texting will be available later this year 'to any mobile customer with a compatible device, regardless of carrier.' If you're a Verizon or AT&T customer, you'll have to activate T-Satellite as a second eSIM on your phone to take advantage of the service. You can find instructions on setting up the eSIM here. Which phones are supported? Most phones released in the past couple of years will work with T-Satellite. Here are the devices that are currently compatible with the beta version: Apple iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 (all models) Google Google Pixel 9 Google Pixel 9A Google Pixel 9 Pro Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Motorola Moto G Stylus 2025 Moto Razr 2024 Moto Razr Plus 2024 Moto Razr 2025 Moto Razr Plus 2025 Moto Razr Ultra 2025 Moto Razr Ultra Plus 2025 Samsung Samsung Galaxy A25 5G SE* Samsung Galaxy A35 5G Samsung Galaxy A36 Samsung Galaxy A36 SE Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Samsung Galaxy A54 5G* Samsung Galaxy S21 Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Samsung Galaxy S22 Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S22 FE Samsung Galaxy S23 Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Samsung Galaxy S25 Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 Pro Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 *Some non-T-Mobile device variants are not satellite-capable. When T-Satellite launches on July 23, the following devices will also be compatible: Motorola Motorola Edge 2024 Moto G 2024 Moto G Stylus 2024 Moto G 5G 2024 Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 Samsung Samsung Galaxy A14 Samsung Galaxy A15* Samsung Galaxy A16 Samsung Galaxy A35 Samsung Galaxy A53* Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro *Some non-T-Mobile device variants are not satellite-capable. T-Mobile T-Mobile Revvl 7 T-Mobile Revvl 7 Pro How to try T-Mobile's Starlink service today If you're anxious to try T-Mobile's Starlink satellite messaging service and don't want to wait until July 23, you can still attempt to sign up for the beta. I wouldn't hold out too much hope, though -- when I entered my information, I got a message back saying, 'Due to high demand, we're admitting beta testers on a rolling basis. Keep an eye out for an update in the coming weeks.'
