We know Starlink for its high-speed satellite internet access offering. With a constellation of around 5,000 satellites in low orbit, Elon Musk’s SpaceX subsidiary offers an average download speed of between 50 and 200 Mbit/s and a latency of around 20 ms for packages starting at 40 euros per month.
With its new service “Starlink Direct to Cell”, the American company wants to compete with mobile phone operators this time by enabling voice, text and data communication from an average smartphone in areas that are not suitable for the mobile network.
Making calls from a satellite in the high mountains, in the middle of the desert or in the middle of the sea is nothing new in itself. Specialized providers such as Iridium, Isatphone or Thuraya have been offering it for years, but charge a high price for this service between the price of the dedicated device and the communication costs, at least one euro per minute for voice calls.
More recently, the term “satphone” has appeared, a made-up word that was created from the combination of satellite and smartphone. In the field, Apple shot first. Since the iPhone 14, the Emergency SOS functionality has made it possible to send a message to emergency services in the most remote areas.
A full service, but not until 2025
According to the relevant page, Starlink goes one step further and will allow you to send and receive SMS messages from 2024, as well as make phone calls, surf the Internet or connect to a connected watch type from 2025. All from any 4G LTE compatible Terminal off.
Starlink satellites that offer this direct-to-cell functionality will be equipped with an eNodeB (evolved Node B) modem. This base station, based on LTE or LTE Advanced technologies, acts, explains the American operator, as “a cellular antenna in space, allowing network integration similar to that of a standard roaming partner.” »
To ensure continuity of service with mobile ground networks, Starlink has already partnered with local operators, namely T-Mobile in the USA, Rogers in Canada, KDDI in Japan, Optus in Australia, One NZ in New Zealand and Salt in Switzerland. The list should grow as the months go by.
Already a world first
Starlink is not alone in this race for mobile satellite telephony. In September, AST SpaceMobile said it had achieved a world first. This American operator of a “spatial broadband cellular network” has established two-way voice communications from an “unmodified” Samsung Galaxy S22 using AT&T’s 5G spectrum and its satellite.
The call came from Hawaii, in a white area. The recipient, a Vodafone engineer, was in Madrid. In April, AST SpaceMobile had already announced that it had created a similar connection, but in 4G and not in 5G. This world first has been challenged by the company Lynk Global, which a few months ago claimed, with supporting video, that it had succeeded in making this type of telephone call via satellite.
This mobile telephony via satellite operated by foreign operators raises questions regarding technological sovereignty and internal security. L’Informed therefore reports that, unlike other operators, the French judiciary is unable to intercept communications transmitted over the Starlink network. Which “represents a problem in the context of police investigations. »