The Future of Starlink Direct to Cell Connectivity
Purchase of S-Band Spectrum from Echostar will Fuel Development
SpaceX has secured 50 MHz of S-band spectrum in the U.S. and global Mobile Satellite Service licenses through an agreement with EchoStar, enabling the deployment of an advanced Starlink Direct to Cell constellation for global broadband service to standard cell phones.
The recently-announced deal allows SpaceX to enhance its Starlink Direct to Cell network, which connects unmodified cell phones to satellites orbiting 223 miles above Earth. Since launching its first Direct to Cell satellites in January 2024, SpaceX has deployed over 600 satellites, providing 4G coverage to more than 6 million users across five continents. The service integrates with existing LTE phones without requiring hardware or software changes, offering connectivity wherever the sky is visible.
The Starlink network, with over 8,000 satellites, uses a laser mesh to ensure global coverage. Partnerships with mobile network operators like T-Mobile, Optus, Telstra, Rogers, One New Zealand, KDDI, Salt, Entel, and Kyivstar have extended service to remote areas and supported emergency communications. During recent U.S. hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, the service enabled 1.5 million people to communicate, delivering millions of SMS messages and critical Wireless Emergency Alerts.
In a notable case in New Zealand, a woman used the service to report a car crash in a cellular dead zone, allowing first responders to arrive within minutes. The network also supports apps like X, WhatsApp, Google Maps, AllTrails, and AccuWeather, as well as IoT connections in remote regions.
The newly acquired spectrum, including AWS-4 and PCS-H bands, will power the next generation of Starlink Direct to Cell satellites. These satellites, equipped with custom SpaceX silicon and advanced phased array antennas, will support thousands of spatial beams and offer 20 times the throughput of current satellites. Optimized 5G protocols will provide a 100-fold capacity increase, delivering a terrestrial-like 5G experience in partnership with mobile operators.
With SpaceX’s Starship enabling larger satellite deployments, the enhanced constellation aims to close coverage gaps and eliminate mobile dead zones, addressing the 50% of the world’s land mass still lacking terrestrial service.