SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk, has successfully tested its direct-to-device (D2D) technology, which allows smartphones to communicate with satellites without any modification. The company announced on Monday that it had sent and received text messages from unmodified cell phones on the ground to its new Starlink satellites in orbit, using T-Mobile’s network. This was the first time that such a feat was accomplished, and it validated the functionality of the system.
The D2D technology is part of SpaceX’s ambitious Starlink project, which aims to provide high-speed internet access to remote areas of the world using a constellation of thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites. According to SpaceX, there are currently about 5,000 Starlink satellites in orbit, serving 2.3 million customers globally. The company plans to launch more satellites this year, and to offer D2D text service as a feature. By 2025, SpaceX hopes to expand the D2D capabilities to include voice service, data service, and Internet of things (IoT) services.
SpaceX said that there was “incredible demand and high interest” in enabling the Starlink satellites to have D2D capabilities, as it would enhance the connectivity and reliability of the service. The company has partnered with several wireless providers around the world, such as Rogers in Canada, Optus in Australia, and KDDI in Japan, to test and deploy the D2D technology. T-Mobile, the second-largest wireless carrier in the US, was the first to collaborate with SpaceX on this groundbreaking experiment.
T-Mobile’s President of Marketing, Strategy, and Products, Mike Katz, said that the company’s mission was “to be the best in the world at connecting customers to their world” and that the launch of the first Starlink satellites with D2D was “another step forward in keeping our customers connected even in the most remote locations for added peace of mind when they need it most”. He added that the launch was “a pivotal moment for this groundbreaking alliance with SpaceX and our global partners around the world, as we work to make dead zones a thing of the past”.
The D2D technology is not only beneficial for Starlink customers, but also for smartphone users who may find themselves in emergency situations where cellular coverage is unavailable. For instance, Apple has partnered with Globalstar, another satellite company, to offer Emergency SOS via Satellite on its iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models. This feature allows iPhone users to send an emergency text message via satellite to emergency responders, who can then locate and assist them. The feature has already proven to be lifesaving in some cases.
However, not all satellite partnerships have been successful. Qualcomm, the leading chipmaker for Android phones, had teamed up with Iridium, another satellite company, to launch Snapdragon Satellite, a service that would enable Android phones to access emergency services via satellites. However, the service failed to attract any Android phone manufacturers, and the partnership was officially terminated on December 3rd.
The D2D technology is a significant advancement in the field of satellite communication, and it could potentially revolutionize the way people connect with each other and the world. SpaceX and T-Mobile have demonstrated the feasibility and utility of this technology, and they are expected to continue to innovate and improve it in the future.