SpaceX is reportedly working with chip vendors to embed Starlink direct-to-device (D2D) capabilities into smartphones. President and COO Gwynne Shotwell confirmed the talks at World Space Business Week in Paris, noting the system will rely on AWS-4 spectrum recently purchased from EchoStar.
Elon Musk explained it could take around two years for manufacturers to adapt chips and for satellites to be built to support the service. SpaceX plans to begin D2D mobile phone tests by late 2026.
The company is already collaborating with T-Mobile US, which provides spectrum for Starlink’s T-Satellite messaging. However, EchoStar’s AWS-4 acquisition signals SpaceX may wholesale capacity to multiple operators in future.
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