The US communication regulator FCC has given its approval to SpaceX for its test of cellular Starlink on smartphones. The nod allows the company to demonstrate its highly ambitious direct-to-cell connectivity using Starlink constellations. SpaceX will reportedly test the transfer of data from satellite to smartphones using 840 SpaceX Gen2 satellites over two dozen locations around the US.
In its approval, the FCC said that the “experimental special temporary authorization” will have the satellite connect to unmodified T-Mobile phones on Earth. The permission is effective from December 14 to June 14 which is 180 days for the pilot project.
SpaceX plans to launch commercial satellite service for phones beginning in 2024 with text and expand the services the following year.
Earlier, the authority had only given partial approval for the Elon Musk-chaired SpaceX to deploy a cellular system. This allowed the company to only demonstrate limited tests to verify if its infrastructure worked. This latest approval lets the company test transmit data to unmodified mobile phones on Earth. SpaceX will use T-Mobile’s frequencies in the 1910-1915 and 1990-1995 MHz frequency bands.
SpaceX says that for this remarkable test, it will use 840 Gen2 satellites which will function as cell towers to establish connectivity to over 2,000 cell phones.
“Over the 180-day experimental STA period, SpaceX expects to operate approximately 840 satellites with direct-to-cellular payloads. At any given time, approximately 60 of these 840 payloads will be serving handsets in the United States under this experimental authorization. To ensure adequate testing and compatibility with a wide range of devices, SpaceX and T-Mobile seek authority to use 2,000 test devices, SpaceX said in its application.
The company had specified 13 locations for its test but later said that there were 12 other radio astronomy sites on the list. The test sites are Mountain View, California; Kansas City, Kansas; Redmond, Washington; and Dallas, Texas, and others.
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The test allows both FCC and SpaceX to check up on possible hazards
There are advantages of these tests apart from merely checking up on the capabilities of Starlink’s satellite communication. These tests will help both FCC and SpaceX see whether the cellular Starlink satellite system causes radio interference with other carriers and satellite service providers. Previously, there were concerns from the aviation industry that the launch of C-band 5G could disturb flight operations. Such concerns have been raised with Starlink service too. AT&T, Dish Network, and Globalstar have expressed their concerns about Starlink potentially causing disruption in their services.
In response, SpaceX defended that its “Direct-to-Cell” service will only bring advantages to the US consumers than anything else. The FCC authorization holds that “In the event of any harmful interference caused under this grant of STA [special temporary authorization], SpaceX must immediately cease operations upon notification of such interference,” the filing notes. “SpaceX must immediately inform the Commission, in writing, of such an event.”
SpaceX aims to bring satellite text service in 2024 and introduce voice and data and IoT connectivity in 2025 using Starlink constellations.