SpaceX buys spectrum for Starlink ‘Direct to Cell’ mobile service

SpaceX has acquired spectrum from Echostar that will be the key to unlocking the next generation of Starlink’s Direct to Cell mobile service.

You’re driving through the countryside, the signal bars on your phone dwindle one by one, and then… nothing. The map stops loading, the podcast cuts out, and that important call gets dropped. It’s a frustration we’ve come to accept, but SpaceX aims to fix it.

Since launching the first test satellites for Direct to Cell in January 2024, the Starlink team went from sending the first text messages from space to standard mobile phones within days, to demonstrating video calls just a few months later. Today, a network of over 600 satellites is already operational across five continents, serving more than six million people and making it, almost overnight, the planet’s largest mobile coverage provider.

The magic happens with satellites that are essentially flying mobile phone masts, orbiting 360 kilometres up. This relatively low altitude ensures a strong enough signal can reach the phone in your pocket without needing a special dish or new hardware. It simply works with the phone you already own. These satellites talk to each other with lasers, forming a mesh network in the sky that ensures you can get a signal virtually anywhere on Earth with a clear view of the sky.

But this technology is proving to be a lifeline. While Starlink’s partnerships with major mobile networks like T-Mobile, Rogers, Telstra, and even Kyivstar in Ukraine are bringing millions into the fold, its true impact is felt when all other connections are lost.

The system’s power was demonstrated in New Zealand. After stumbling upon a car crash in an area with no mobile reception, a woman was able to use the satellite link to text for help, guiding first responders to the exact location within minutes. During natural disasters in the US, over 1.5 million people have relied on the service to communicate when floods, fires, or hurricanes have knocked out ground-based infrastructure.

That was the first generation. Now, Starlink’s Direct to Cell mobile service is about to get even better.

Spectrum is essentially the invisible motorways of the airwaves. The more lanes you own, and the wider they are, the more traffic you can handle at higher speeds. With the EchoStar deal, SpaceX just bought itself a massive, private, multi-lane motorway for its satellite-to-phone service.

If the first-generation network was the proof of concept, this is when SpaceX hits the accelerator. The new satellites designed to use this spectrum will be vastly more capable. We’re told to expect a 20-fold increase in data handling per satellite, leading to an overall system capacity boost of more than 100 times what’s possible today.

What that means for you and me is a jump from a basic connection to a full 5G experience. By combining this new spectrum with its custom-built technology and the launch capacity of its Starship rocket, SpaceX aims to make it so your location no longer dictates your ability to connect.

Starlink’s plan with its Direct to Cell mobile service is to weave a digital safety net around the entire globe, so whether you’re a hiker in trouble, a family caught in a storm, or just someone trying to navigate a remote country road, you are never truly out of reach.

See also: Singtel and Tencent debut network slicing for 5G cloud gaming

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Tags: connectivity, mobile, networks, rural, satellites, spacex, starlink, telecoms