Billionaire Elon Musk used a SpaceX mission to successfully launch the Direct-To-Cell satellite of Starlink today, which was announced and celebrated. The new satellite is anticipated to simplify internet access for all its users.

Without further ado, SpaceX is initiating what it hopes will be an exceptionally active year for orbital launches. Tuesday night, the business launched its reliable Falcon 9 rocket on a Starlink satellite mission.

Launch from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California took place at 7:44 p.m. PST (10:44 p.m. EST, 0344 UTC). The first six Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capabilities were among the 21 satellites launched on Tuesday night.

Text, internet, and mobile network coverage are all intended to be available “wherever you see the sky” with Starlink’s Direct-To-Cell satellite, indicating its all-terrain and regional coverage. This is all the information you require about the company’s Direct-To-Cell service.

What is a Direct-To-Cell Starlink Satellite?

On January 3, Starlink Internet launched its first satellite for its Direct-To-Cell service. Over the next few days, the satellite will begin to operate once it is in position. While the voice, data, and Internet of Things services will go live in 2025, the text function will start operating in 2024.

This launch was originally scheduled for the middle of December, but SpaceX had to postpone it due to unidentified problems. DTC will “allow mobile network operators around the world to provide seamless global access to texting, calling, and browsing… on land, lakes, or coastal waters,” according to a statement from SpaceX.

Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, and Mike Sievert, the CEO and president of T-Mobile, spoke at an event in August 2022. Musk referred to the new addition as “a massive game changer” that would aid in the elimination of dead zones worldwide.

“This is a big deal, this is,” Musk declared at the presentation. Even if a powerful hurricane, flood, fire, tornado, earthquake, or other natural disaster caused an entire region or nation to lose connectivity… even if all the cell towers were taken out, your phone would still work.”

With LTE phones, Direct To Cell technology will function as an orbiting cell phone tower. This implies that if you have an active satellite signal, service will be accessible from any location. Hardware or external connections are not needed for the same.

According to Starlink’s official website, the Direct to Cell satellites have an advanced eNodeB modem that functions in space like a cell phone tower, enabling network integration akin to that of a typical roaming partner.

Starlink has been launched in remote regions, where connectivity will also be available. Cell phone service is available to users of Starlink Direct To Cell in all of the partner nations, including the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Switzerland, and Chile.

Direct To Cell’s primary goal is to give customers high-speed connectivity in isolated and rural areas where other networks have issues. It is anticipated that there will be faster and more dependable cell service and Internet access.