T-Mobile has announced that it has begun testing a cellular network supporting SpaceX's Starlink satellite service. Reuters reports that the move aims to eliminate cellular "dead zones" and provide connectivity in remote areas.
The beta version will be free until July, after which it will be included in T-Mobile's Go5G Next premium plan at no additional cost. When it launches this summer, the service will be available to other tariff plans. In this case, the subscriber will pay $15.
The move will eliminate the barriers between terrestrial networks and satellite technology, providing connectivity anywhere on Earth. T-Mobile noted that 500 thousand square miles of the United States, where there are no monitoring stations for cellular communication, will have access via Starlink.
The beta test will be via satellite only for text messages, with voice and data services to be charged later.
