A short while back, it was revealed that the iPhone 13 — a phone that came out in 2021 — would also be eligible for T-Mobile’s Starlink satellite cell service with iOS 18.5. Turns out, the iPhone 13 and the Starlink service work pretty well out in the middle of Northern Maine, according to one customer.
The T-Mobile user didn’t even realize at first that they were heading into an area with no cell reception. They received a message from the carrier, informing them that they had been automatically connected to the T-Mobile Starlink beta, which is free until July. Seizing the opportunity to test out what all the fuss was about, the user sent text messages over satellite cell service.
Not only did the texts get sent, but the person was able to receive replies as well, including from a remote spot that has unreliable cell service. This experience was a success, which is refreshing to hear after a few anecdotes from other users about the Starlink beta not working properly.
T-Mobile’s partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink aims to eliminate cellular dead spots across the U.S. Most importantly of all, the service allows customers to contact 911 from places where there are no cell towers around.
T-Mobile informs a user about switching to the Starlink beta. | Image credit — Reddit
The T-Mobile Starlink beta is free for now until the service sees a public release. T-Mobile also extended this beta program to AT&T and Verizon customers. The beta is limited for now — mostly only allowing text messaging — and the carrier says that it is prioritizing first responders for the time being.
Telecom rivals AT&T and Verizon have teamed up with AST SpaceMobile for their own satellite cell service. SpaceMobile’s satellite fleet is smaller compared to SpaceX, but both carriers’ satellite options should be fully operational by next year. T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon will all introduce satellite-based data services for their customers as well.
The T-Mobile and Starlink collaboration is exciting for me. Not just because of how cool it sounds on paper, but also because this is part of a bigger push to bring satellite-based connectivity to the entire globe. And for what it’s worth, it seems like it works pretty well for the most part, even on old smartphones.
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Abdullah loves smartphones, Virtual Reality, and audio gear. Though he covers a wide range of news his favorite is always when he gets to talk about the newest VR venture or when Apple sets the industry ablaze with another phenomenal release.
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