Elon Musk is celebrating a new achievement of SpaceX and Starlink, focusing on its Direct to Cell service which the executive and the company are currently testing. In their latest updates on X, both Musk and SpaceX claimed that they were able to send the post using their devices directly connected to the satellites of the service, with no mediator to make this possible.
Unlike Starlink's satellite internet service, this Direct to Cell capability offers straightforward access that is similar to connecting to traditional cell towers that deliver mobile data internet.
Elon Musk Touts SpaceX Starlink's Direct-to-Cell Service
(Photo : ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images)
A recent post by SpaceX via X revealed that it was uploaded thanks to the Direct to Cell service of Starlink, using the mobile data on their device to connect to the satellites and have this capability.
This was corroborated by its CEO and owner, Elon Musk, touting the Direct to Cell feature that allowed him to also post on X from his "normal mobile phone" successfully.
The billionaire tech mogul further regarded the feature, saying that "no special equipment" was used to make this possible, only his device that is connected directly to the satellite via T-Mobile.
SpaceX and Starlink's Direct to Cell service is still under testing from the company, with the first phase of its connection starting this 2024, allowing customers to send texts to and from other users via the D2D satellites of the company.
The process would start with the talk, text, and data service passing through the Partner Operator Network, which in the US case is T-Mobile, which would then transmit it to Starlink's Ground Network.
Starlink's infrastructure would deliver the service to its satellite and would be responsible for beaming down said connections to unmodified or regular cell phones.
Starlink said that by 2025, calls, mobile data, and IoT connections would be available in this Direct-to-cell service.
SpaceX's Satellite and Mobile Connections
The current widely available service from SpaceX and Starlink for its selected regions focuses on satellite internet, one that would require a satellite dish receiver from the company and a router that would transmit the wireless connection. It is still one of the top-regarded ISPs at present, offering unparalleled internet to users which is also available in remote locations.
According to Ookla's research, Starlink users are fond of the satellite internet, with users going as far as to say that they "love" the service offered by the company.
However, the company is not stopping there, as it is known for partnering with T-Mobile in the US to provide more direct access to satellite network connections to the mobile.
Earlier this year, SpaceX successfully sent text messages via T-Mobile via its D2D (direct-to-device) Starlink satellites to and from its receivers. In this latest update, Musk and SpaceX shared a milestone where both were able to access the internet and create posts on X using the Direct to Cell service, a feature that would soon be available for the global public to enjoy, depending on their local providers.
