SpaceX will begin testing the services of Starlink and T-satellite-to-cell Mobile this year, according to a SpaceX executive.

Monday, Jonathan Hofeller, vice president of Starlink commercial sales at SpaceX, provided an update during a panel at the Satellite 2023 conference in Washington, D.C.

SpaceX, T-Mobile Joint Move

Hofeller did not provide a specific date for testing the cell service in 2023. But, this indicates that SpaceX and T-Mobile are coming closer to providing cellular service to individuals in locations without mobile coverage.

In August, SpaceX and T-Mobile announced a partnership to offer mobile phone service via Starlink satellites in low-Earth orbit. The businesses predicted that the service would provide nearly complete coverage over the majority of the United States, including rural areas that were not previously connected to standard cell signals.

Elon Musk tweeted after the announcement that the new service was expected to “remove dead zones worldwide” and “work brilliantly for texting and voice conversations.” He also stated that Tesla vehicles will have this capability in the future, allowing them to connect directly to Starlink satellites for emergency calls and texts.

SpaceX and T-Mobile did not react immediately to Insider’s request for comments made outside of standard American business hours.

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SpaceX’s Starlink

SpaceX’s Starlink is a network of satellites that will provide internet access. This makes high-speed Internet access to people all around the world. The service fee is $110 per month or slightly more, depending on the customer’s location, and the kit costs $600 outright.

Hofeller stated at a Monday conference that there are over 4,000 Starlink satellites in orbit. According to a tweet by Sheetz, SpaceX launches satellites roughly twice each week, and “it’s not crazy that the boss will push for more.”

Hofeller said the corporation manufactures six satellites and hundreds of user terminals daily.

This action is intended to accommodate a broad user base. In December, SpaceX said that Starlink had more than one million active users globally. Hofeller stated on Monday that there are currently far over one million users. This is an increase from the 145,000 users at the start of 2022.

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