On Tuesday of this week, cell-phone provider T-Mobile started beta testing its new satellite phone service in partnership with Starlink. At present the satellite phone service is only available through T-Moible and on certain Samsung smart phones.
By providing a high-speed internet connection anywhere in the world at a reasonable cost, Starlink has already revolutionized communications from our boats. Being able to handle all internet chores while crossing large bodies of water, even oceans, or while swinging on the anchor is some remote paradise, we now can now take our shoreside life with us while cruising. This is both a miracle and a curse, but, in my experience, its mostly a miracle.
With cell phone capability added, you soon will be able to access the Starlink satellite network directly from your phone without the need for a dedicated antenna and power supply. The intended purpose of this new technology is to provide phone service to regions of the world without cellular networks. But, from a boating and cruising vantage, and for travelers and cruisers, having your phone work everywhere with full capabilities is going to be a game changer.
Read more here.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/t-mobile-begins-cellular-starlink-beta-but-it-only-works-on-these-samsung
