SpaceX says Starlink

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For its phone-based emergency texting services, Apple has teamed up with Globalstar, a company whose satellites orbit the Earth at an altitude of 869 miles (1,400 km). To tap into its network, an Apple user, even during an emergency, needs to use a signal targetting app to find themselves in the range of the satellite and send the text message.

Starlink's satellites, however, orbit much closer at the altitude of 341 miles (550 km) and are many in number. As of today, Starlink has more than 5,000 satellites in orbit, as compared to Globalstar's 48, and by the time Direct To Cell service is launched, the number will not only increase but will also be empowered with more powerful V2 satellites from SpaceX.

Recently, SpaceX launched its Mini V2 satellites into orbit but has plans to have a constellation of V2 satellites that are much bigger and have larger antennae that serve a greater surface area. They will even have tiny devices like today's smartphones without the need for any modification or upgrades.

Starlink's service offerings will be powered through Long Term Evolution (LTE), the 4G wireless network in vogue today and accessible to users right from the day of launch. Users who often face mobile dead zones could simply sign up for Direct To Cell and use mobile services beamed from space.

Hurdles along with way

According to the webpage, Starlink plans to begin text-based services by next year, with voice, data, and Internet of Things (IoT) services being available only in 2025. The plan might seem ambitious but at least it is not coming from Elon Musk himself on X, so it is safe to presume that it has some conservative estimation built in.

The biggest hurdle along the way is how Starlink will put its V2 satellites up in space. These are bigger satellites and need a larger launch vehicle in the form of Starship to be put into orbit. However, Starship's first flight didn't go as expected and delays in getting the launch vehicle ready could further push Direct To Cell timelines.

Starlink has already pushed back the launch of the beta service that was due this year following Starship's misfiring.

Apart from Starlink, users could also subscribe to these services through their current telecom providers, with whom Starlink is keen to tie up in various countries.