[HN Gopher] SpaceX is getting ready to test its Starlink satelli...
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SpaceX is getting ready to test its Starlink satellite-to-cell
phone service
Author : FinnKuhn
Score : 62 points
Date : 2023-03-13 18:37 UTC (4 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (www.engadget.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (www.engadget.com)
| _trampeltier wrote:
| In most countrys are cellphone licences very expensive, so hm ..
| wmf wrote:
| SpaceX is sublicensing spectrum from existing carriers such as
| T-Mobile in the US.
| Ekaros wrote:
| And all bands are already in use by terrestrial services. Or
| reserved for something else.
| wmf wrote:
| All bands aren't in use in the middle of nowhere. There's
| plenty of spectrum available.
| _trampeltier wrote:
| I think there is not much spectrum left.
|
| https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/j
| a...
| sroussey wrote:
| A few years behind[1], but they do have the infrastructure to
| make it happen!
|
| [1] https://lynk.world/how-we-do-it/
| djyaz1200 wrote:
| I think this is why he bought Twitter (although I don't endorse
| the decision). If you can access space from phones and he runs
| the worlds open messaging system that would change a lot...
| specifically because then governments would have a harder time
| turning off the internet. I don't see how he could profit
| massively from that but I do see how it might create something
| bigger than the arab spring around the world.
| __MatrixMan__ wrote:
| > I don't see how he could profit massively from that
|
| If you can cause the citizenry to get riled up against
| whichever government is threatening to regulate your endeavors
| into oblivion, then you can use it as a threat to prevent
| governments from doing that.
| outworlder wrote:
| > I don't see how he could profit massively from that
|
| It wasn't his reason, then.
| tjoff wrote:
| Not sure how twitter changes the equation?
|
| Lock down internet so only twitter works for free?
| dubcanada wrote:
| communication :)
| tjoff wrote:
| You can't communicate without twitter?
| hunter2_ wrote:
| I reckon "cell" is a misnomer in this context. While "cell phone"
| would've been the only reasonable vernacular in the US a decade
| ago, the phrase "mobile device" is extremely popular now, and
| "handset" or "mobile" for brevity would also be pretty good.
| Satellite-to-mobile, satellite-to-handset, but not satellite-to-
| cell. Wait, satphone is already a word... use it!
| TaylorAlexander wrote:
| Well the phones are normal cell phones. They talk to ground
| based cell towers, and the SpaceX satellites are just operating
| as satellite based cells. A "satellite phone" is a term that
| historically has been used to describe a device which has been
| specifically designed to talk to satellites, which is not the
| case here. The SpaceX service aims to talk to unmodified normal
| cell phones that were never designed for satellite service.
| throwntoday wrote:
| The phones are not talking to cell towers, they are
| communicating directly with Starlink satellites. The whole
| point of the service is to provide emergency coverage in
| areas not served by cell.
| ericpauley wrote:
| This isn't thinking back to the _original_ meaning of the
| term cell. While the satellites are not cell towers, they
| do each serve a specific coverage cell (although that cell
| moves around over time).
| lxgr wrote:
| Basically all modern satellites use spot beams, making
| the "cell" metaphor even more applicable.
| jballer wrote:
| The initial announcement made it sound like this would be a
| drop-in replacement for cell tower coverage. T-Mobile
| contributing already-licensed spectrum, existing phones are
| supported, and they plan to eventually support voice and
| video: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/25/spacex-and-t-mobile-
| team-up-...
| hummus_bae wrote:
| [dead]
| bryancoxwell wrote:
| The article seems to imply direct satellite to UE connections but
| doesn't make any mention of what wireless protocol that would be
| through and what types of phones would have modems for whatever
| that technology is. Is there a more complete source out there?
| ianburrell wrote:
| It uses LTE and any phone should work.
| KoftaBob wrote:
| It's referring to this partnership between T-Mobile and
| Starlink: https://www.t-mobile.com/news/un-carrier/t-mobile-
| takes-cove...
| Arrath wrote:
| Oh good maybe I'll finally get signal with T-Mobile
| diebeforei485 wrote:
| The new versions of their Starlink satellites with bigger and
| more advanced antennas will just pretend to be cell towers.
| Similar to a cruise ship or many aircraft (mostly outside North
| America).
| cronix wrote:
| Very excited for this. I live about 5 miles outside of cell
| range.
| ianburrell wrote:
| It isn't going to get you phone service. The satellite service
| is low bandwidth, I heard 9 Mbps shared with the entire cell.
| It will be limited to messaging and maybe voice call.
|
| It will replace satellite messengers and satellite phones.
| cronix wrote:
| > It will replace satellite messengers and satellite phones.
|
| Sure, at first. That's certainly not the end goal. VoIP works
| well enough for now that I'm still able to work and
| communicate just fine.
| ianburrell wrote:
| This service is pretty extraordinary and pushing physical
| limits. It requires new satellites with large antennas. It
| is unlikely that we'll see faster internet with existing
| phones.
|
| It might be possible to have mobile internet terminals,
| like a satellite hotspot. I hope Starlink comes out with
| something like that.
| wmf wrote:
| The upcoming Starlink mini terminal is pretty small but
| its power consumption will probably still be pretty high.
| ianburrell wrote:
| I was hoping they would announce something like that. I
| bet it kills off the similarly sized BGAN service from
| other satellite providers.
|
| I'm involved with disaster response and the size and
| power requirements of current antenna are problems.
| Something smaller, slower, and easy to power with battery
| and solar would be very useful.
|
| Also, new antenna might work well for remote sites. Stick
| it on pole, power with some solar panels and batteries.
| LeoPanthera wrote:
| I live a few miles from nowhere, and the last few years have
| been a revolution. My internet is now provided by Starlink, and
| I have a microcell for which the backhaul is Starlink.
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(page generated 2023-03-13 23:01 UTC)