Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell satellite service would enter its beta testing phase on January 27.
Musk confirmed the news in a reply to a post shared by Mario Nawfal, founder of IBC Group, on X. “Starlink direct from satellite to cell phone Internet connection starts beta test in 3 days,” Musk stated.
The Direct-to-Cell service will allow mobile phones to connect directly to satellites, bypassing traditional cellular infrastructure.
This development could revolutionise communication by enabling people to send texts, make calls, and browse the internet from any location, even in remote areas with no access to regular cell towers.
Nawfal described the service as “cell towers in space,” with the potential to eliminate dead zones and significantly improve mobile communication.
He also emphasised that users would not need new phones or additional hardware, as the service would work with existing devices.
The beta phase, which was anticipated to be a major milestone for SpaceX, would mark the beginning of Starlink’s expansion into mobile connectivity.
f successful, the service could greatly benefit individuals in areas with poor or no cellular coverage, proving especially crucial during emergencies when traditional networks fail.
With this new service, Starlink aimed to address the persistent issue of limited connectivity in rural and hard-to-reach regions.
The introduction of next-generation Starlink satellites, expected to enhance speeds potentially exceeding 2Gbps, further promised to revolutionise global telecommunications.
SpaceX had leveraged its expertise in manufacturing and launching the world’s most advanced rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink satellites with the Direct-to-Cell capability at scale.
