SpaceX to launch Starlink V2 with native capability for 5G phones

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Obraik

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#299287 26-Aug-2022 13:23

https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/25/23320722/spacex-starlink-t-mobile-satellite-internet-mobile-messaging

This could be a big deal for New Zealand with our many blackspots for cellphone coverage. It will be interesting to see if this T-Mobile deal will be possible with our local carriers.

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wellygary

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#2959790 26-Aug-2022 13:42

Needs a couple of brackets on the term "coverage" this is not high bandwidth data, its low bandwidth messaging and maybe voice... and I'm guessing the battery drain will be much higher than terrestrial coverage,

BUT for emergency communication ( which seems to be where its being heavily pitched) its a game changer....

It will be interesting to see if its a user selected network option , or an automatic failover.. (the polling overhead could get pretty heavy)

Obraik

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#2959794 26-Aug-2022 14:06

It would be a game changer for my workplace as we often have techs out in the middle of nowhere that constantly have covereage issues. They have an emergency beacon device but having cellphone coverage would be ideal.

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PolicyGuy

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#2959821 26-Aug-2022 15:14

This announcement may have been made at this particular time to preempt the rumoured "satphone" capability in the upcoming iPhone 14. The announced T-Mobile / Starlink capability is supposed to 'just work' with any ordinary 5G handset, no special hardware sauce required.

gzt

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#2959912 26-Aug-2022 16:37

Incredible announcement:

- If you can see the sky you have coverage
- Use your existing mobile!!
- TMobile will partner internationally for roaming
- Included in most existing TMobile plans by default

Clarke's dreams are nearly a reality. This is a real scifi moment

gzt

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#2959914 26-Aug-2022 16:39

Official

SaltyNZ

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2degrees

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#2959919 26-Aug-2022 16:53

Not that it isn't interesting, but it would be at least the third time someone has tried this. GlobalStar did it with Vodafone and theory there were Iridium devices with similar capabilities too. I guess the difference is that this time round, lots of people won't bat an eyelid at dropping $2500 on a phone.

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Obraik

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#2959921 26-Aug-2022 16:56

I think the main difference is that you don't need to buy a special phone. All you need is a phone with 5G capabilities which is quickly becoming the norm.

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SaltyNZ

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#2959926 26-Aug-2022 17:00

Hmph, I’ve always said Starlink wasn’t magic, it was just cell sites in space. Apparently that’s literally what they are. It isn’t super surprising. Why reinvent it when a whole bunch of very smart people have done it all for you, and all you need to do is download the specs off the internet?

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Obraik

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#2959929 26-Aug-2022 17:08

I think that's a bit of an oversimplification lol. There are also the smart people at SpaceX that made them work from orbit 😉

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SaltyNZ

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#2959930 26-Aug-2022 17:10

Well yes, but they didn’t try to start from scratch like say Iridium.

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wellygary

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#2959931 26-Aug-2022 17:14

SaltyNZ: Hmph, I’ve always said Starlink wasn’t magic, it was just cell sites in space. Apparently that’s literally what they are. It isn’t super surprising. Why reinvent it when a whole bunch of very smart people have done it all for you, and all you need to do is download the specs off the internet?

Commercial Success if often the ability to make people want to buy a product - whether you developed the product or borrowed/copied something else is usually not the issue,

Edison was famous for it, and there is a long history of "idea borrowing" right up to XEROX PARC being pilfered by Messrs Gates and Jobs

insane

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#2960297 27-Aug-2022 21:12

Surely they wouldn't have any 5g spectrum to use of their own, so pretty much means they need to partner with one or more local providers?

It does make great sense... Perhaps selling passive tower assets was a smart move by Spark and Voda after all.

Obraik

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#2960315 27-Aug-2022 21:49

I'm not entirely sure how it works, but could StarLink also work with Iwi that were granted some of the 5G spectrum? Similar to how Iwi spectrum allocations helped birth 2degrees?

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Wellingtondave

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#2960811 29-Aug-2022 16:34

insane: Surely they wouldn't have any 5g spectrum to use of their own, so pretty much means they need to partner with one or more local providers?

It does make great sense... Perhaps selling passive tower assets was a smart move by Spark and Voda after all.

Yes, they touched on this in the launch event. They (Elon / SpaceX) mentioned working with other carriers in the future and also mentioned "pending regulatory approval" a few times.