Imagine being able to connect and communicate anywhere on Earth — even hundreds of miles away from any large cell tower. The concept is the holy grail of communication and one that Starlink is quietly building.
It is not an easy ask, though: using the same service to connect a smartphone — or any other device — instantly and reliably, no matter where the user is, is one of the most challenging feats of engineering there is and has eluded innovators throughout history.
However, a new technology, Direct-to-Cell, driven by startups and led by Starlink, is working to accomplish just that. If it works, and tests prove it can do, it will turn your smartphone into your own antenna and make traditional networks that rely on massive hardware infrastructure outdated.
More importantly, global connectivity in 100% of our planet would be secured.
Key Takeaways
- Starlink is launching Direct-to-Cell (DtC) satellites to provide global connectivity, even in remote areas.
- DtC can currently send text messages using existing phones, and Starlink plans to offer voice, data, and IoT by 2025.
- Starlink’s unique model with SpaceX allows them to build the DtC network first, overcoming limitations in phone technology.
- By launching DtC satellites now, Starlink positions itself as the leader in future global communication.
Starlink Launches 13 More New Direct-To-Cell Satellites
Direct-to-Cell (DtC) is a new and experimental concept that at the time still faces a long road ahead for it to become fully viable. However, this is not stopping Elon Musk‘s company hitting the ground running like no other company in the development of DtC.
On Tuesday, June 18 at 8:40 pm, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Station in California. The rocket carried 20 Starlink satellites. Thirteen of those satellites are equipped with DtC capabilities.
But these are not the first DtC Starlink satellites that reach Earth’s orbit. Just ten days before, on June 8, Starlink put another 20 satellites in orbit, 13 of those were are also DtC satellites.
The question is, if DtC is not yet to play in the real world, why is Starlink launching these satellites? The answer? Starlink has a plan and keeps most of it close to its chest.