What's happened
SpaceX and T-Mobile are partnering to provide mobile connectivity using Starlink satellites.
Why it matters
The partnership between SpaceX and T-Mobile aims to address cellular dead zones and provide connectivity to remote areas. This has the potential to improve communication and access to emergency services in underserved regions. The collaboration also highlights the growing interest in satellite-based solutions for expanding mobile network coverage.
What the papers say
The Verge says that SpaceX and T-Mobile's partnership is a bold move that could eliminate cellular dead zones and provide connectivity to areas with no cell towers. The Independent reports that the collaboration aims to connect mobile devices through a network of satellites, benefiting remote communities and people in life-threatening situations. AP News highlights the potential to provide text coverage nearly everywhere in the US, while The Telegraph emphasizes the promise of sending texts in areas with no signal. Reuters mentions the use of T-Mobile's mid-band spectrum to create a new network with Starlink satellites. ZDNet discusses the plan to enable cell phones to connect to Starlink satellites, eliminating the need for cell towers and offering service in remote areas.
How we got here
SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service has been expanding its coverage globally, and T-Mobile has been working to improve its network and expand its home internet offering. The partnership between the two companies aims to leverage Starlink's satellite network to provide mobile connectivity and address cellular dead zones.
More on these topics
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T-Mobile is the brand name used by the mobile communications subsidiaries of the German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom AG. The brand is active in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United States. In 2020 the company merged w
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Space Exploration Technologies Corp., trading as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California.
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Starlink is a satellite constellation being constructed by SpaceX to provide satellite Internet access. The constellation will consist of thousands of mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit, working in combination with ground transceivers.
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Elon Reeve Musk FRS is an engineer, industrial designer, technology entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the founder, CEO, CTO and chief designer of SpaceX; early investor, CEO and product architect of Tesla, Inc.; founder of The Boring Company; co-foun
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Michael Sievert is the president and CEO of T-Mobile US, and a member of the company's board of directors. In November 2019, T-Mobile announced that Sievert, then-COO, would become the CEO of the company in May 2020.