SpaceX founder Elon Musk and T-Mobile CEO Mike Seibert take to the stage at a joint T-Mobile and SpaceX event in Boca Chica Beach, Texas on August 25, 2022.
Michael Gonzalez | Getty Images
SpaceX launched the first six Starlink satellites equipped with direct-to-device (D2D) capabilities last month after receiving permission from the Federal Communications Commission to test the technology.
The company conducted a text message sending demonstration on Monday in which SpaceX said it “sent and received the first text message between an unmodified cell phone on the ground and a new satellite in space,” declaring the test “demonstrated” that “the system works.”
The company said it has seen “incredible demand and high interest” in adding D2D capabilities to its Starlink network, pointing to partnerships with mobile operators such as T-Mobile, Rogers in Canada, Optus in Australia and KDDI in Japan.
SpaceX plans to launch its D2D text service later this year, and then expand to voice, data, and Internet of Things services in 2025. To date, the company has expanded its Starlink Internet service to a network of more than 5,000 satellites in orbit and boasts more than 2.3 million customers worldwide.
Several smartphone manufacturers, service providers, and satellite companies are partnering to roll out D2D services. For example, Apple is investing heavily in collaboration with satellite operator Globalstar to provide the “Emergency SOS via Satellite” service it rolled out on its iPhone 14 models.
Qualcomm ended its partnership with satellite communications company Iridium late last year, but on Wednesday Iridium pivoted to a new effort it’s calling “Project Stardust.” Iridium plans to test its direct-to-consumer services in 2025 and begin deploying them by 2026.
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