Once DTC voice service is activated, ALL compatible cellphones will be able to make 911/SOS calls, regardless of whether their carriers participate in the DTC offering. I'm a US Verizon customer, not T-Mobile, but I think this will be a very significant feature nevertheless. However, one additional caveat is that while enough Starlink V2 satellites have been launched by SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets to enable this beta test, it will probably require many launches of the new much larger Starship rocket to take the facility through its next steps towards full functionality. V2 satellites are much bigger than V1 or V2 mini satellites. As many people surely know, Starship has still only had six orbital launch attempts, and it has not yet been allowed to perform a complete orbit before returning to Earth. The 7th test is scheduled for Jan 11th 2025. But the tests have had very promising results, and they will probably start launching Starlink V2 satellites with it in the next few months.
@@burtmccormick4727 Do you mean making 911/SOS emergency calls with Android phones and iPhones? Yes, any cellphone has for decades been able to make emergency calls using any available carrier, even if there is no carrier associated with the cellphone itself. The difference with Starlink DTC is that any recent vintage cellphone will also be able to make emergency calls using Starlink V2 satellites, even if the cellphone's carrier isn't T-Mobile (in the US) and there are no cell towers from any other terrestrial carriers within range.
Andy... .... As T-Mobile customers... my wife and I officially signed up for consideration for the 'beta' program on Dec 16, and are on the waiting list for consideration........ As a longtime cruiser, I look forward to this type of coverage......... Geroge in Tampa, Fl
Will our existing MIMO RV mounted antennas have much signal with satellites located directly above them. I know some allow higher angles which can be useful when parked near a tall tower, but this development takes this challenge to the extreme. Also the beta test says that only compatible phones will be tested and I'm sure our RV installed 5G routers won't initially be on that list... or perhaps ever?!
For now, this will be smartphone only - which don't have antenna ports. We've not heard any discussion of support for routers/hotspots - and suspect they'd really want to direct that use case to Starlink broadband service anyway. But indeed, most cellular antennas are designed to reach terrestrial towers.
That would then restrict usage only to phones that support that frequency band (if there was a longer range one even available). The beauty of this approach is that most everyone phone currently in use on T-Mobile's network already has this frequency band.
Once DTC voice service is activated, ALL compatible cellphones will be able to make 911/SOS calls, regardless of whether their carriers participate in the DTC offering. I'm a US Verizon customer, not T-Mobile, but I think this will be a very significant feature nevertheless.
However, one additional caveat is that while enough Starlink V2 satellites have been launched by SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets to enable this beta test, it will probably require many launches of the new much larger Starship rocket to take the facility through its next steps towards full functionality. V2 satellites are much bigger than V1 or V2 mini satellites. As many people surely know, Starship has still only had six orbital launch attempts, and it has not yet been allowed to perform a complete orbit before returning to Earth. The 7th test is scheduled for Jan 11th 2025. But the tests have had very promising results, and they will probably start launching Starlink V2 satellites with it in the next few months.
@@victorkrawchuk9141 Not sure about Android, but iPhone 15 & newer can do this now. (I shoulda waited 1 more generation to upgrade from my iPhone 7🤣)
@@burtmccormick4727 Do you mean making 911/SOS emergency calls with Android phones and iPhones? Yes, any cellphone has for decades been able to make emergency calls using any available carrier, even if there is no carrier associated with the cellphone itself. The difference with Starlink DTC is that any recent vintage cellphone will also be able to make emergency calls using Starlink V2 satellites, even if the cellphone's carrier isn't T-Mobile (in the US) and there are no cell towers from any other terrestrial carriers within range.
Andy...
.... As T-Mobile customers... my wife and I officially signed up for consideration for the 'beta' program on Dec 16, and are on the waiting list for consideration........ As a longtime cruiser, I look forward to this type of coverage.........
Geroge in Tampa, Fl
Thank George. How do you sign up for the beta test program?
Will our existing MIMO RV mounted antennas have much signal with satellites located directly above them. I know some allow higher angles which can be useful when parked near a tall tower, but this development takes this challenge to the extreme. Also the beta test says that only compatible phones will be tested and I'm sure our RV installed 5G routers won't initially be on that list... or perhaps ever?!
For now, this will be smartphone only - which don't have antenna ports. We've not heard any discussion of support for routers/hotspots - and suspect they'd really want to direct that use case to Starlink broadband service anyway. But indeed, most cellular antennas are designed to reach terrestrial towers.
Interference is easy to fix just add another band to the phones and only satellites can use that band!
That would then restrict usage only to phones that support that frequency band (if there was a longer range one even available). The beauty of this approach is that most everyone phone currently in use on T-Mobile's network already has this frequency band.