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Telstra has followed Optus in signing a “straight-to-mobile” deal with Starlink that will allow users in remote areas to send texts via satellite.
The agreement is unique because it will not require customers to obtain any specific hardware and will instead work on all compatible handsets.
The telco revealed that while the service would initially focus on testing texts, it could eventually evolve to support voice, data and IoT services as the technology improves.
It comes after SpaceX completed the first constellation of the special “direct to cell” satellites needed to make the technology work without the requirement of a dish.
SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said on 5 December it would enable unmodified cellphones to have internet connectivity in remote areas.
“Bandwidth per beam is only ~10Mb, but future constellations will be much more capable.”
Starlink only launched in Australia in 2021 but was previously only available via a permanent, fixed connection. There are currently thought to be more than 6,000 Starlink satellites in orbit, though the company eventually hopes it can support more than 40,000.
Shailin Sehgal, a Telstra group executive, said the deal would be most relevant to people outside their carrier’s mobile coverage footprint.
“Currently, satellite-to-mobile technology allows users to send a message only,” Sehgal said. “This is really a just-in-case connectivity layer that allows a person to make contact for help or let someone know they are OK when they are outside their own carrier’s mobile coverage footprint.”
The “straight-to-mobile” plans are one of several innovative new services that have launched or are soon to begin in Australia.
Last year, for example, Starlink launched a portable satellite dish that allows users to access reliable internet on the go.
The device, which resembles a large laptop, works like a traditional dongle but allows users to go online without needing to be within the range of a phone mast.
Crucially, the plans can be paused or unpaused anytime, opening it up to hikers and travellers who only want to use it for limited periods of the year.
It comes after Space Connect, Cyber Daily’s sister brand, reported last month how Starlink rival NBN Sky Muster’s performance is so poor in Australia that it struggles to consistently play videos or handle online computer games.
The results, contained in an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission-backed report, revealed the NBN geostationary service’s latency averaged 664.9 milliseconds across all hours, compared to just 29.8 milliseconds on low-Earth orbit rival Starlink.
The findings will be a further blow to NBN, with critics arguing the federal government made the wrong call by launching two geostationary satellites for $2 billion in 2015.
“While the latency is stable during busy hour congestion, its high duration is likely to hinder activities that require real-time responsiveness,” said the Measuring Broadband Australia program on Sky Muster’s service.
“Users relying on Sky Muster for such applications may experience delays, but the service remains predictable in its performance.”
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