Musk-owned SpaceX’s satellite-based broadband internet system, Starlink, might eventually become more accessible in the upcoming years.
The company will launch 7,500 additional satellites which may increase its count of low-orbiting satellites to over 10,000 over the decades to come.
It will help users to connect with the satellite-based broadband service without the requirement of any special equipment and in fact just by their smartphones.
The 3,500 first generation Starlink satellites will now be joined by the second generation of the same.
Ukraine amidst war was also provided with SpaceX’s Starlink. SpaceX is expecting to provide this service to users through T-Mobile which is a US network carrier, says a CNET report.
An application was filed to the US Federal Communications Commission by the spacecraft manufacturer company on 6 December to seek permission to fit a certain number of Starlink satellites with “direct-to-cellular” hardware.
It has now been approved. Users can directly access these services via their smartphones once it is live. The new capabilities will include basic web browsing, voice messaging, 3.0 Mbps or 7.2 Mbps upload and 4.4 Mbps or 18.3 Mbps downlink, said a file report.
T-Mobile and SpaceX collaborated back in August to offer internet access to remote parts of the US. Mike Sievert, the CEO and president of T-Mobile and Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX made an announcement with respect to their partnership in Boca Chica, Texas at the SpaceX Starbase.
It will remove the need to connect cell phones with towers but instead in future it will connect them directly to the SpaceX satellites.
Also in August, Falcon 9 rocket with 46 Starlink satellites was launched by SpaceX.
Similar space-based mobile broadband services are also under the process of being provided by a few other companies like Texas-based AST SpaceMobile and so on.
