Starlink v2 and T-Mobile to offer global coverage to existing mobiles!

[JBee]

Space X and T-Mobile announced a few hours ago that they will launch a new mobile phone service that will be compatible with most existing mobile phones, by emulating a cell tower in space on a v2 Starlink satellite. This means worldwide coverage using Starlink v2 and your existing mobile!

Key points:

- Requires v2 Starlink satellites launched with Starship because they are 7m long (they have a 5m option for Falcon if Starship takes longer)
- Uses dedicated fold out 5m wide (25sqm) phased array antennas optimized to operate at high orbital velocities to compensate for doppler effect
- Uses T-Mobiles existing mid band cellular frequencies and carrier license and is therefore restricted, currently, to the USA and territories (further countries need local carrier)
- Because it's a "orbital cell tower" it functions with most existing mobile handsets without any extra hardware or software configuration - your mobile will simply see it as a cell tower and try to connect to it, and Starlink handles all the the rest
- Bandwidth is limited given the cell coverage area of the orbital cell, and is expected to be between 2-4Mbit/s, meaning its optimized for 100,000 text messages, or up to 1000 voice calls simultaneously. Obviously in low user densities this could become media capable as well as they will prioritize messaging (and maybe Starchat/StarSquare/StarWe?)
- Beta to start next year with Emergency services taking priority (Pending v2 Launches)
- T-Mobile to bundle the cost for free into popular it's plans


This is a game changer because:
- It will allow point to point messaging of limited data anywhere on the planet
- Fantastic for IoT connectivity
- Could make payment and ordering systems global, and essentially eradicating banks and EFT terminals for transfers.
- Will be a big boost for rural areas and services (thanks Elon, I knew you were looking out for me! )
- Will be a huge benefit to developing nations that are infrastructure poor
- and areas hit by natural disasters or in conflict zones
- and of course emergency response
- Tesla products and cars could be low bandwidth data enabled globally at no extra cost, at least for tracking, charging, Robotaxi or emergency messaging etc. (now confirmed by EM tweet)
- Tesla Powerwall could be VPP/Sales enabled without data network and comms etc

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[Ogre]

You referenced it but here it is.





I think this is going to be a bigger deal for Tesla then what the first hints suggest. Initially it’ll be slow speed, very high latency (maybe up to half an hour before a satellite is in position and it can upload). Initial version will be messaging only.

A Cybertruck has room for a much better antenna then a cell phone does and is naturally pointed skyward.

 

[JBee]

You referenced it but here it is.





I think this is going to be a bigger deal for Tesla then what the first hints suggest. Initially it’ll be slow speed, very high latency (maybe up to half an hour before a satellite is in position and it can upload). Initial version will be messaging only.

A Cybertruck has room for a much better antenna then a cell phone does and is naturally pointed skyward.

Bandwidth limit is the coverage of each Starlink antenna cell which can do 2-4Mbps for the entire area and all users combined, whereas Starlink with a McFlatface is 300Mbps per user terminal. Thats why EM specifically says its not for broadband internet, nor is it to replace terrestrial cell towers, or provide coverage in urban areas, rather just messaging and limited audio outside those areas. For that you need a proper ground antenna and Starlink Terminal, aka Mcflatface. No point cannibalising Starlink cashcow, this is a "additional" service.

The physics of a non-tracked terrestrial antenna, like the one on a phone, means that bandwidth is mostly taken up with error correction and connection sharing, because they operating on such a weak phone signal. So low that at times you might only have a connection every couple of minutes and only for a few seconds, which is enough to get a signal through for a msg, before the Starlink phased array hunts down another mobile. More satellites means more antennas looking for mobiles to lock on to, but we're still no where near 10's or 1000Mbps per user like 4-5G.

But there's nothing stopping CT having a Starlink connection onboard, I'd 100% take that option. This would work on top of that.

 

[Ogre]

Bandwidth limit is the coverage of each Starlink antenna cell which can do 2-4Mbps for the entire area and all users combined, whereas Starlink with a McFlatface is 300Mbps per user terminal. Thats why EM specifically says its not for broadband internet, nor is it to replace terrestrial cell towers, or provide coverage in urban areas, rather just messaging and limited audio outset them. For that you need a proper ground antenna and Starlink Terminal, aka Mcflatface. No point cannibalising Starlink cashcow, this is a "additional" service.

The physics of a non-tracked terrestrial antenna, like the one on a phone, means that bandwidth is mostly taken up with error correction and connection sharing, because they operating on such a weak phone signal. So low that at times you might only have a connection every couple of minutes and only for a few seconds, which is enough to get a signal through for a msg, before the Starlink phased array hunts down another mobile. More satellites means more antennas looking for mobiles to lock on to, but we're still no where near 10's or 1000Mbps per user like 4-5G.

But there's nothing stopping CT having a Starlink connection onboard, I'd 100% take that option. This would work on top of that.

I don’t think he said 2-4 Mbps shared. He said your connection might be 2-4 Mbps, network capacity will be higher.

This isn’t going to touch the cash cow. But it might get 5-10 Mbps which is enough to mid quality video, music or voice calls.

 

[JBee]

I don’t think he said 2-4 Mbps shared. He said your connection might be 2-4 Mbps, network capacity will be higher.

This isn’t going to touch the cash cow. But it might get 5-10 Mbps which is enough to mid quality video, music or voice calls.

I'm 100% sure it is shared across the individual v2 sat coverage area, he even does the math with that for audio call at 2kbps, being 1000-2000 callers for that available bandwidth (2-4Mbps) and 100,000 messages in the Q&A. That's where I have the numbers from in the first place.

It will not do 5-10Mbps per user, that would be nearly impossible, unless you exponentially increase the number of Starlink satellites up there.

This add on Starlink "system" is a "Elon DIY DARPA garage hack" of terrestrial cell towers, because as he said, it has "the most advanced phased array antenna" in the world (better than miltary?) that is capable of picking up the tiny amount of mobile signal that leaves the earth atmosphere. Without that this would not work at all and you would need dedicated ground terminals. Small signal strength = low bandwidth overall, but it gets worse.

For reference my Starlink terminal uses between 650Wh per day for 140Mbps to Starlink satellites overhead, clear sky, no trees or buildings down to the horizon. 350-400Wh just in standby without web surfing, streaming etc. in comparison a large phone battery has 12-15Wh, and runs screen, processing etc for a day on top of the 1-2W radio transmitter, that only turns on in power optimized pulses to save power. On top of that the McFaltface has a phased array as well and can beam form the signal to the satellite to a pencil size, whilst tracking it across the sky at 17,000mph. This uses significantly less energy and produces a massively better signal than a crappy omnidirectional mobile antenna stuck in your pocket. That is why the cell satellite antenna needs to be so large to even get a signal in the first place, then that sat antenna can switch to just one mobile on the ground if it has too, and amplify that tiny signal, and then to the next and so on. This is why the bandwidth is limited as well. This is also how McFlatface connects to multiple satellites in different parts of the sky at the same time. This is spy satellite level stuff he's doing. No doubt.

Taking control of a court room TV might be a popular movie sketch for Iron Man, but this is real world sci-fi, behind the scenes type development. Because he can. Who else has a few thousand LEO satellites and teams of top grade professionals to hack with?

PS tweet from EM re coverage:

 

[charliemagpie]

It misses nothing. Like a Skynet

 

[Cybertruckee]

Dream come true for me, a satellite equipped Cybertruck.

Being lost in Oregon, Sierra Nevada mountain range... is not cool.

 

[rr6013]

Thank @JBee for the heavy lift.
Now can we imagine the possibilities beyond the SAT? SAT+cellphone == innovation opportunities. Beyond Dick Tracy watch messages to Mars that is…

 

[CyberBC]

OMG. This is the first place I heard this. This is site is better than CNN. This is amazing for backcountry safety in wild Canada in the Cybertruck. I'll have to get the 500 mile version now!

 

[JBee]

Thank @JBee for the heavy lift.
Now can we imagine the possibilities beyond the SAT? SAT+cellphone == innovation opportunities. Beyond Dick Tracy watch messages to Mars that is…

Well I think that is where the EM version of twitter/Wechat will come in. The Twitter 280 character limit is smack on what this system bandwidth is for. Add payments, order/bookings, IoT and we're really swimming in worldwide comms. Everything can be connected and that for $10-20. It's actually silly.

 

[JBee]

It misses nothing. Like a Skynet

Lol the SSID name I set for my Starlink wifi is Skynet...

 

[CyberGus]

Lol the SSID name I set for my Starlink wifi is Skynet...

I set my SSID to "FBI Surveillance Van", make the neighbors wonder

 

[rr6013]

Well I think that is where the EM version of twitter/Wechat will come in. The Twitter 280 character limit is smack on what this system bandwidth is for. Add payments, order/bookings, IoT and we're really swimming in worldwide comms. Everything can be connected and that for $10-20. It's actually silly.

WeChat is onto something. T-mobile == Tesla-mobile? T-phones? T-bird .v. Twitter, or T-chat. TX-mobile, phones, tweet and msg…

BUT Apple and the ecosystem underneath iDevices remains not to mention apps/developers and the NeXT dilemma.

NeXT proved technology platforms need only have two dominants. There is no room for a successful third. Android and iOS own the cellular terra-firma even though SpaceX owns everything SAT

 

[RVAC]

Yeah this would work with no additional hardware on Tesla vehicles as they are already equipped with a SIM card and antenna that receives/transmits on cell phone bands.

They really need to add the Starlink dish to Tesla vehicles as an option, could be easily integrated into the glass roof. There's a guy that jerry rigged one to the glass roof of his Rivian.

 

[FutureBoy]

Something in the commentary of the presentation got me thinking....

I wonder if T-Mobile would allow individuals or small towns to start pairing a Starlink terminal with a T-mobile cell tower to enable full data connectivity in remote towns. Right now, nearly the whole state of Nebraska has sketchy to completely non-existent cell coverage. But if a single telephone pole could be erected in the center of town, one could have solar cells, attached for power, a Starlink terminal at the top, and cell antennae attached to the sides. For many small towns, a single tower would have enough coverage for the whole town. And with the Starlink level of connectivity, there could be at least some shared internet connectivity too.

For more populous towns, add more towers. Or for remote ranches/farms that want connectivity, a single tower might just do the trick. Imagine a remote luxury resort that had full coverage.

Allowing small operators to install this hardware would give even better coverage for T-Mobile in remote areas but without the high installation and maintenance costs that has been keeping these kinds of installations from happening. And by making it a standardized modular deployment, the various components could be replaced for servicing or upgrades by the tower owner just by ordering the needed components separately.

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