T-Mobile’s satellite service officially launches in July
After spending the first half of the year in beta testing, T-Mobile’s Starlink-powered satellite service will go public on July 23rd. While it will only include messaging at launch, the company has some ambitious plans to expand the service before the end of the year.
When it goes live next month, “T-Satellite” will be available as an included service with just one T-Mobile plan — Experience Beyond — and will otherwise cost $10 per month. Like the beta service, it will be available to anyone in the US, not just T-Mobile customers.
At launch, T-Satellite will only include SMS on Android and iOS, as well as MMS on Android. T-Mobile says that MMS on iOS is “to follow.” And on October 1st, its satellite connectivity will get another upgrade: data.
But don’t expect to be able to use every app on your phone in a dead zone just yet. The company has a handful of app makers that it “anticipates” will enable satellite data connectivity, including AllTrails, Accuweather, and WhatsApp. The announcement also names Apple and Google as partners, but doesn’t list specific apps from either company.
T-Mobile’s approach to satellite connectivity looks a little different from the competition’s. Verizon and AT&T have both partnered with AST SpaceMobile to provide satellite service to customers. Earlier this year, the companies demonstrated cell-to-satellite calling. Of the two, only Verizon has introduced messaging for customers — and it’s limited to certain Android phones at the moment.
Verizon and AT&T have taken issue with T-Mobile and Starlink’s parent company, SpaceX, claiming its satellite implementation will hamper their efforts. It doesn’t seem like those complaints have slowed Starlink and T-Mobile down.