T-Mobile's CEO Mike Sievert said in a recent interview that while the company's plan to launch a beta program of the direct-satellite-to-cellular service is still on track, it might not kick off until early next year.
We think we’re on track for a beta program of the direct-satellite-to-cellular program that we announced a while back—it could start late this year or early into next year.
Mike Sievert, T-Mobile's CEO, September 2024
Previously, the companies were targeting the fall for deployment. It's not clear what's causing the delay, but there are a couple of theories.
Firstly, as PCMag notes, SpaceX had previously said it would need 325 Direct to Cell satellites to launch the service, and as of September 17, the company had 175 direct-to-smartphone satellites in low-earth orbit. 13 more were launched just yesterday, and at this pace, SpaceX is unlikely to meet its goal.
SpaceX needs to have 325 Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capabilities in orbit to launch the program. | Image Credit - Michael Nicolls, VP of Starlink Engineering, X
In a September 13 filing, SpaceX reiterated the need for a more liberal out-of-band emissions limit, stating that the current "overly restrictive" limit would be detrimental to real-time communications and make the Direct to Cell service spotty and unreliable.
SpaceX says that it can take some steps to reduce aggregate out-of-band emissions of its direct-to-smartphone system, such as cutting down the number of active beams on a satellite, but not without "needlessly sacrificing reliable real-time communications."
SpaceX also fears that the restrictions will delay the rollout of emergency communications, such as 911 calls, as it will have to add additional capacity to make up for the throughput and coverage limits imposed by the -120 dBW/m2/MHz aggregate limit.
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Initially, T-Mobile's Direct to Cell service will only support texting and Wireless Emergency Alerts but after SpaceX has 1,500 satellites in orbit, the network will also support real-time communications, internet browsing, and social media posting.
In August, a new "T-Mobile SpaceX" network popped up in the Network Solution menu for some T-Mobile users, suggesting a rollout was not far off. Now that T-Mobile's CEO has revealed that the company is not sticking with its original plan of a fall launch, many customers are going to be disappointed.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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