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By Theo Burman
Live News Reporter
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T-Mobile is starting wide-scale beta testing for its satellite-to-cell service, powered by SpaceX's Starlink.
The initiative aims to extend connectivity to remote areas across the United States, covering approximately 500,000 square miles that have been previously unreachable by traditional cell towers.
Newsweek contacted T-Mobile for more information on the beta rollout via email.
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Why It Matters
The agreement between Starlink, a subsidiary of Elon Musk's SpaceX, and T-Mobile may signify the effectiveness of the satellite technology. It further increases his stake in the industry, and the rollout could give millions of people greater access to high-speed internet.
What to Know
The beta trial, which began on Sunday, offers participants the ability to send SMS text messages via satellite when outdoors, even in regions lacking T-Mobile's terrestrial coverage.
The service is available not only to T-Mobile postpaid users, but also to AT&T and Verizon customers during this testing phase.
The beta period is free until July, after which T-Mobile plans to integrate the service into its premium Go5G Next plan at no additional cost. For other plans, the service will be available as an add-on for $15 per month, per line.
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Customers who enroll in the beta now can secure a discounted rate of $10 per month upon the service's commercial launch this summer. However, AT&T and Verizon users can continue accessing the service for $20 per month, per line, without the need to switch carriers, provided they have an unlocked, eSIM-compatible device.
Initially, the service is supporting only text messaging, with plans to expand to voice and data capabilities in the future.
What People Are Saying
T-Mobile CEO and President Mike Sievert said in a statement: "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."
T-Mobile said in the statement: "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. 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 from the last four years. It's not limited to a few smartphones or operating systems."
What Happens Next
The beta testing will continue until July, at which point customers will have to switch to a payment plan.
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