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• T-Mobile and Starlink launch a satellite-powered mobile network.
• T-Mobile Starlink eliminates ‘no bar’ zones, supports wireless emergency alerts.

T-Mobile customers on the Go5G Next plan are about to get a major upgrade – SMS satellite-to-phone connectivity via SpaceX’s Starlink at no extra cost, starting in July.

For those on other T-Mobile plans, it’ll cost $15 per month per line. But here’s where things get even more interesting – AT&T and Verizon customers can get in on the action too, paying $20 per month per line to tap into T-Mobile’s cellular Starlink service.

No extra equipment is needed; no fancy satellite phone, no clunky external hardware – just a compatible smartphone. If a phone loses connection to a cell tower, it will automatically switch to Starlink’s satellite signal, keeping users connected by text even in the middle of nowhere. No manual toggling, no extra steps – just coverage.

How it works: Satellite connectivity without the hassle

T-Mobile’s Starlink-powered service turns any compatible smartphone into a satellite phone, albeit one with limited functinality. Phones will need a compatible eSIM to get coverage in areas where traditional cell towers don’t reach. Most smartphones from the last four years – including the iPhone 14 and later, Samsung Galaxy S21 and later, and Pixel models – will work with the service. T-Mobile is to publish a full list of supported devices, and that list will keep expanding as more models are certified.

According to Clint Patterson, T-Mobile’s SVP of Marketing, users will simply add a second eSIM to their phones, allowing them to receive satellite-based SMS messages when they’re outside traditional coverage areas; no special setup – just texting as usual, even in places where a regular network would leave users stranded.

T-Mobile Starlink will also support wireless emergency alerts (WEAs) so people in remote locations, like hikers or those caught in extreme weather events, will still receive important, potentially life-saving messages. The satellite-based WEA service ensures that emergency alerts reach users even beyond standard cellular coverage, as long as they are in range of a T-Mobile Starlink satellite.

A free beta test before the official launch

Before its official launch in July, T-Mobile is gradually rolling out a beta programme. Initially, select T-Mobile customers with newer iPhones, Samsung Galaxy, and Pixel devices were invited to take part, but the company is now opening the beta to anyone on any wireless carrier – including AT&T and Verizon customers. Beta testers will be enrolled over time to help T-Mobile refine the service’s details and operations.

For now, satellite connectivity is limited to SMS-based messaging, but voice calls and data support are on the roadmap – pending regulatory approvals.

Pricing: Early adopters to get a discount

When the service officially launches in July, T-Mobile’s business customers, first responders, and select premium plan holders will also get Starlink access at no additional cost.

For everyone else, the pricing will be:

• T-Mobile customers: $15/month per line (free on Go5G Next)
• AT&T and Verizon customers: $20/month per line

The price might be steep for people who rarely venture into dead zones, but T-Mobile is sweetening the deal for early adopters: Anyone who signs up before the end of February gets a $10/month per line discount, bringing the price down by a third.

T-Mobile takes on AT&T and Verizon in the satellite race

While AT&T and Verizon are working on their own satellite solutions through AST SpaceMobile and Skylo, neither service is yet ready for mass-market consumers. T-Mobile and SpaceX have 400 satellites beaming coverage to unmodified smartphones – and they’re launching more space hardware to boost signal quality.

Last year, SpaceX received FCC approval to operate T-Mobile’s cellular Starlink service, allowing it to use T-Mobile’s 1900MHz spectrum to offer connectivity to supported devices. Major smartphone brands have received FCC certification to work with Starlink’s network, so phones running on other carriers’ services can connect to the satellites.

T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert calls this a game changer for mobile coverage. “T-Mobile Starlink is the first and only space-based mobile network in the US that automatically connects to your phone so you can be connected even where no cellular network reaches,” he said in a statement. “We’re still in the early days – I don’t want to overhype the experience during a beta test – but we’re officially putting ‘no bars’ on notice. Dead zones, your days are numbered.”

The future of satellite connectivity

Right now, the service is focused on text messaging, but T-Mobile and SpaceX aim to bring voice calls and data coverage to satellite-connected smartphones.

For now, though, the beta programme is live, and anyone an the US can sign up.

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