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--- networking:wireless_topic:spacex_deploys_direct_to_cell_starlinks [2024/01/06 11:36] – aperez
+++ networking:wireless_topic:spacex_deploys_direct_to_cell_starlinks [2024/01/06 11:43] (current) – aperez
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 **SpaceX** launched its first batch of **Starlink satellites** with the embedded capability to connect **directly with phones on the ground**. **T-Mobile, the company’s partner in connectivity, is signed on to enable the service within the US as early as this year.**
-Get connected: **Direct-to-cell technology** (//These modems are similar to cell phone towers but operating in space. Once these satellites are in orbit, they instantly connect over a laser backhaul to Starlink's low-earth-orbit (LEO) constellation to provide global connectivity//) has gained steam in the past few years as satellite operators have forged partnerships with telecom companies and phone manufacturers to bring the ability to connect directly to satellites in times of need to a broad consumer market.
+Get connected: **Direct-to-cell technology** (//These modems are similar to cell phone towers but operating in space. Once these satellites are in orbit, they instantly connect over a laser backhaul to Starlink's low-earth-orbit (LEO) constellation to provide global connectivity//) (//**__Lynk technology__** connects to mobile phones on the ground in a way similar to roaming networks, where the satellite mobile service will connect to another available cellular network when outside the range of its home network.//) has gained steam in the past few years as satellite operators have forged partnerships with telecom companies and phone manufacturers to bring the ability to connect directly to satellites in times of need to a broad consumer market.
 Satellites equipped with this technology mimic cell towers. This can enable users on the ground to send texts and make calls even when they’re in remote locations not covered by terrestrial towers.
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 **Lynk Completes Satellite-to-Phone Connectivity Demonstration**
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 The Virginia company is hoping to roll out its direct-to-phone two-way communications service later this year. In the meantime, the demo results show that the satellites can connect to phones and provide messaging capabilities without any add-on receivers—and without the devices “knowing” they were even part of the test, Lynk CEO Charles Miller told SpaceNews.
-The vision: We spoke to Miller back in October about Lynk’s technology. To paraphrase, he said Lynk’s satellites mimic cell towers. They’re compatible with the 3GPP protocol, the global standard for mobile phones. “In this way, we are backward-compatible with every existing mobile phone on the planet that’s 2G, 3G, 4G, or LTE,” Miller said. “And in the future, 5G as well.”
+The vision: **We spoke to Miller back in October about Lynk’s technology. To paraphrase, he said Lynk’s satellites mimic cell towers. They’re compatible with the 3GPP protocol, the global standard for mobile phones. “In this way, we are backward-compatible with every existing mobile phone on the planet that’s 2G, 3G, 4G, or LTE,” Miller said. “And in the future, 5G as well**.”
 Lynk’s targeting initial service for mobile network operators (MNOs) and mobile users in “black spots,” areas where their phones can’t reach a terrestrial cell tower. Lynk’s market research showed that ~15% of mobile users globally are disconnected at any given time. Devices in black spots can request satellite-to-phone service—and, as the tech demo showed, the satellite is happy to oblige.
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 info@lynk.world
 lynk.world
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+**AST SpaceMobile Notches 5G Direct-to-Cell Success**
+{{ :networking:wireless_topic:image-5-948x533.png |}}
+**Direct-to-cell technology has taken another step forward. AST SpaceMobile ($ASTS) announced yesterday that it successfully demonstrated 5G connectivity with an unmodified smartphone from space for the first time.**
+**Call incoming**
+Direct-to-cell capabilities have gained traction in recent years, with several companies—including ASTS, Lynk Global, and SpaceX—working on incorporating the technology into their constellations.
+Essentially, capable satellites mimic cell towers, enabling cell service across the globe, including in dead zones where terrestrial towers don’t reach.
+It’s also useful as an emergency backup when disaster strikes. Iridium, for example, has partnered with Qualcomm to develop compatible smartphones to tap into satellite networks specifically in case of an emergency.
+The technology is new, but these providers are betting on rapid customer adoption and growth. On a panel at World Satellite Business Week, Lynk CEO Charles Miller estimated that the market will reach $1B within the next five years. (Lynk demonstrated direct-to-cell capabilities with unmodified smartphones up to 4G in Feb. 2022.)
+**The demo**
+ASTS reported that it used its BlueWalker 3 LEO test satellite and AT&T’s spectrum to connect with an unmodified smartphone in Hawaii on Sept. 8 and facilitate a call with a Vodafone engineer in Madrid.
+**5G connectivity between unmodified smartphones has never before been demonstrated from space, the company said**.
+Market check: $ASTS stock was up 8.66% at EOD Tuesday.
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