Starlink and T-Mobile drop a tactical nuke on Verizon, ATT

[Scotttkd2]

 

[Scotttkd2]

Readers digest version, Starlink to provide T-Mobile cellular services in out of coverage areas starting next year. Price to be included in T-Mobile's most popular plans, available as an add on for other plans. Tmobile CEO threw down a challenge to all cellular providers worldwide to do a roaming agreement with T-Mobile. Oh and it will work with existing cell phones on T-Mobile network.

 

[B & J T]

This could certainly get interesting!

Basically T-Mobile will be offering wall-to-wall coverage?!? Even in NPs?

 

[jbh]

The devil is in the details...

T-Mobile And SpaceX Starlink Partnership - "Coverage Above & Beyond" Aims To Eliminate Dead Zones

SpaceX Chief Engineer Elon Musk and T-Mobile CEO and President Mike Sievert hosted a live press event Thursday evening to announce T-Mobile's new "Coverage Above & Beyond". It's an initiative that aims to use SpaceX's

www.rvmobileinternet.com

 

[Scotttkd2]

This will take a lot of time to develop, but cellular service via sat is not being done anywhere else, and Elon has a big jump start on the numerous want to be competitors in this race. Filling in phone and msg capabilities where there are currently none should not be looked at as a negative. Wifi and broadand will follow as the technology matures, just like conventional cellular has.

 

[Lab00Rat]

So every phone will become a sat phone?

Cool!

 

[redbaron]

So every phone will become a sat phone?

Cool!

No---Every phone will become a Wifi/Cellular hybrid phone.

The frequency being sent from the sat is not normal Wifi, nor is it normal cellular, but it is within the spectrum of celullar. A software change will allow the device to link to the signal using tech similiar to LteOverWifi, but without a wifi connection.

The signal *is* technically a wifi signal, but operates in a frequency that wifi chips cannot use...nor should they. LTE is very similar to Wifi, in that it establishes a data connection. It is very different in the implementation.

There is yet to be an official name for this connection, but calling it LteOverSL would make sense.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

This will be great for basic check-in ability while out in the middle of no-where. Assuming a clear view of the sky is available, but not so good in the middle of dense forest.

 

[redbaron]

The signal is more like a GPS signal. It will travel thru objects such as buildings, trees, etc.

The reason SL dishy needs clear line of site is for the high speed data connection and to protect the backbone from overpower and too many retries.

Once the network is more resilient, clear line of site won't be as critical. That's the part where t-mobile will take advantage of.

 

[Scotttkd2]

Yeah, a lot of confusion about this, cellular signal will be no different than coming from a local tower, so most obstructions wont matter, just limited to text and voice at first, broadband likely down the road as things develop. The internet provided by SL to its users will still need open sky for that signal to reach the dish. SL will just be "hosting" a very sophisticated (and large) cellular antenna on its new gen of satS for T-mobile to offer service with. Lots of speculation over what other benefit SL may get from T-mobile, but nothing official mentioned yet. And yes Verizon and ATT are working on similar deals with other providers, but I think SL is so far in front in this technology its going to be tough to catch up, AFTER the FCC gives the competitors permission to get in the game. Fun stuff!