To "Eliminate Dead Zones Worldwide," SpaceX and T-Mobile Will Link Satellites To Mobile Phones

In a partnership announced on Thursday, Elon Musk's SpaceX and T-Mobile will provide mobile consumers with phone service via Starlink satellites. According to SpaceX creator Elon Musk, the service will be particularly helpful in places without cellular service, especially in an emergency. The new plan would  "provide near complete coverage in most places in the US — even in many of the most remote locations previously unreachable by traditional cell signals." according to a news statement from SpaceX and T-Mobile.

According to T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert, the service is anticipated to begin the next year, with T-Mobile leveraging its mid-band spectrum to build a new network. The text service is the first to be launched, and it will operate with the majority of phones, he continued.

The announcement was also made on Musk's Twitter account, where he stated that the new service sought to "eliminate dead zones worldwide." In response to inquiries regarding the feature, Musk said Tesla vehicles would also be able to connect to the new Starlink satellites that can transmit mobile phones.

The initial aim of SpaceX's Starlink was to offer those who lived in remote places with patchy coverage access to high-speed internet. Over 2,800 satellites in low-Earth orbit and over 400,000 subscribers worldwide make up its user base. According to The Verge, on Thursday, Starlink costs decreased for select customers in the UK, Mexico, Germany, and the Netherlands.