T-Mobile used the stage provided by Sunday’s Super Bowl to introduce T-Mobile Starlink, a wireless service delivered by an array of satellites. T-Mobile says the service will cover 500,000 square miles of earth not served by cell towers.
T-Mobile Starlink uses specially configured satellites with Direct-to-Cell capabilities orbiting the Earth 200 miles or more up in space and traveling at over 17,000 miles per hour to deliver cell phone signals — text messages for now with picture messages, data and voice calls coming later — to and from locations traditional cell towers can’t reach — so-called mobile dead zones.
“T-Mobile Starlink is the first and only space-based mobile network in the U.S. that automatically connects to your phone so you can be connected even where no cellular network reaches. It’s a massive technical achievement and an absolute game changer for ALL wireless users,” Mike Sievert, CEO at T-Mobile, said in a statement.
“We’re still in the early days — I don’t want to overhype the experience during a beta test — but we’re officially putting ‘no bars’ on notice. Dead zones, your days are numbered at the un-carrier.”
Sievert said the beauty of the service is its simplicity: users don’t need to do anything out of the ordinary. When a user’s cell phone gets out of range of a cell tower, the phone automatically connects to the T-Mobile Starlink network. There is no need to manually connect.
Messages are sent and received just as they are today on a traditional network, even group texts and reactions. And it works on most smartphones produced over the last four years. It’s not limited to a few smartphones or operating systems.
Wireless Emergency Alerts included
To double down on keeping all people connected, T-Mobile Starlink also broadcasts Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) nationwide to anyone in range of the signal and with a compatible device.
T-Mobile sad the satellite-based WEA service is designed to ensure everyone — even outside of terrestrial coverage, as long as they are in range of a T-Mobile Starlink satellite — can receive critical, potentially life-saving messages directly to their phone. Whether in remote areas like hiking trails or in areas impacted by severe weather or by natural disasters, more people now have access to the WEA broadcast when they need it most.
The beta is free until July at which point T-Mobile Starlink will be included at no extra cost on Go5G Next (including variations like Go5G Next 55+), T-Mobile’s prime plan. Business customers will also get T-Mobile Starlink at no extra cost on Go5G Business Next, first responder agencies on T-Priority plans and other select premium rate plans. T-Mobile customers on any other plan can add the service for $15/month per line.
Through February, T-Mobile customers who have registered for the beta can secure a $10/month per line Early Adopter Discount, 33% off the full price.