The agreement is unique because it does not require customers to obtain specific hardware and will work on all compatible handsets.
The telco revealed that while the service would initially focus on testing texts, it could eventually evolve to support voice, data and IoT services.
SpaceX only completed the first constellation of the special satellites needed to make the technology work last month. The company’s founder, Elon Musk, revealed then that while it would only offer a “bandwidth per beam” of 10 MB, future constellations would be far more capable.
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“Currently, satellite-to-mobile technology allows users to send a message only,” said Shailin Sehgal, a Telstra group executive.
“This is really a just-in-case connectivity layer that allows a person to make contact for help or let someone know they are OK when they are outside their own carrier’s mobile coverage footprint.”
Starlink aims to launch text services this year and data and IoT in 2024, while it says voice calls are coming soon.
“Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell capability have an advanced eNodeB modem onboard that acts like a cellphone tower in space, allowing network integration similar to a standard roaming partner,” the company on its website explains.
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“Direct to Cell satellites will initially be launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and then Starship. On orbit, the satellites will immediately connect over laser backhaul to the Starlink constellation to provide global connectivity.
“In addition to expanding mobile coverage, Direct to Cell will enable ubiquitous Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity outside of terrestrial coverage, connecting millions of devices across critical global industries.”
Other global telcos to sign up include T-Mobile in the US, One NZ in New Zealand and KDDI in Japan.
Starlink only launched in Australia in 2021 but was only available via a permanent, fixed connection. There are currently thought to be more than 6,000 Starlink satellites in orbit, though the company eventually hopes it can support more than 40,000.
The “straight-to-mobile” plans are one of several innovative new services that have launched or are soon to begin in Australia.
Last year, for example, Starlink launched a portable satellite dish that allows users to access reliable internet on the go.
The device, which resembles a large laptop, works like a traditional dongle but allows users to go online without needing to be within the range of a phone mast.
Crucially, the plans can be paused or unpaused at any time, making them available to hikers and travellers who only want to use them for limited periods of the year.
Starlink’s innovations come after an ACCC report revealed that its rival, NBN Sky Muster, performs so poorly in Australia that it struggles to consistently play videos or handle online computer games.
The results revealed that the NBN geostationary service’s latency averaged 664.9 milliseconds across all hours, compared to 29.8 milliseconds on low-Earth orbit rival Starlink.
The findings are a further blow to NBN, with critics arguing the federal government made the wrong call by launching two geostationary satellites for $2 billion in 2015.
“While the latency is stable during busy hour congestion, its high duration is likely to hinder activities that require real-time responsiveness,” concluded the Measuring Broadband Australia program on Sky Muster’s service.
“Users relying on Sky Muster for such applications may experience delays, but the service remains predictable in its performance.”
Adam Thorn
Adam is a journalist who has worked for more than 40 prestigious media brands in the UK and Australia. Since 2005, his varied career has included stints as a reporter, copy editor, feature writer and editor for publications as diverse as Fleet Street newspaper The Sunday Times, fashion bible Jones, media and marketing website Mumbrella as well as lifestyle magazines such as GQ, Woman’s Weekly, Men’s Health and Loaded. He joined Momentum Media in early 2020 and currently writes for Australian Aviation and World of Aviation.
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