Starlink, the internet service company of billionaire Elon Musk, has launched its direct-to-cell service in five more countries after its successful rollout with T-Mobile in the U.S.
According to a post shared by one of the company’s engineers on X, a major telecom operator in Canada, Rogers, has been onboarded for the direct-to-cell service.
Other telecom operators onboarded include One in New Zealand, KDDI in Japan, Optus in Australia, and Salt in Switzerland.
Confirming the development via a response to the post, Elon Musk stated:
“Starlink’s new system enables Internet connectivity for your mobile phone with no extra equipment or special app. It just works.”
Global expansion
Elon Musk recently hinted that Starlink would soon be rolling out its direct-to-mobile internet service across countries where it currently operates.
This came as SpaceX launched 42 new satellites including 26 with direct-to-cell capabilities.
To deploy the service across countries, Musk said the company would be working with network carriers in each of the countries it operates to roll out the service.
Recall that Nigeria became the first African country where Starlink satellite internet service was launched in January 2023. The company most recently launched in Botswana, bringing its country of operations in Africa to 15 and 105 globally.
“We are starting off working with one carrier in each country, but ultimately hope to serve all carriers,” Musk said while speaking of the plans to expand the service globally.
With the new satellites, Starlink is promising the world access to communication services anywhere in the world.
“Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell capabilities enable ubiquitous access to texting, calling, and browsing wherever you may be on land, lakes, or coastal waters,” the company said in a post on its website.
What you should know
Starlink announced the plans to launch direct-to-mobile internet service in October last year. According to the information released on its website, the service was to begin with texting in 2024, while voice, data, and IoT services are expected to launch in 2025.
- True to the plans, on Monday, January 8, 2024, the Starlink team successfully sent and received their first text messages using the T-Mobile network spectrum through one of its new Direct to Cell satellites launched six days prior.
- Starlink said people will not need to change their phones when the service is launched as it will work with current 4G-enabled devices.
- Although Musk is discountenancing the possibility of competition with terrestrial mobile network operators with direct-to-cell satellite services, there is no doubt the likes of MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile will lose some customers by the time voice and data services are available via the satellite to mobile.
However, the largest telecommunications operator in Nigeria, MTN is already positioning itself for collaboration with Starlink to benefit from its satellite service. MTN Groups recently announced that it was in talks with Starlink in its bid to expand its services to unserved areas across its operating market.
