T - Mobile / Starlink: It is here

[dkoldman]

So full FCC approval is here, so the drums about dead spots for T Mobile customers will no longer be beaten.

https://www.androidpolice.com/t-mobiles-starlink-cell-coverage-just-got-full-fcc-approval/

It is of no surprise to me, that T mobile or Starlink has not tipped their hat on the catch. I am sure it has to cost more? If so; I have no intentions of buying, but at least those that find fault with T Mobile in the remote spots will be muted.

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

So full FCC approval is here, so the drums about dead spots for T Mobile customers will no longer be beaten.

https://www.androidpolice.com/t-mobiles-starlink-cell-coverage-just-got-full-fcc-approval/

It is of no surprise to me, that T mobile or Starlink has not tipped their hat on the catch. I am sure it has to cost more? If so; I have no intentions of buying, but at least those that find fault with T Mobile in the remote spots will be muted.

It's not really about Starlink or T-Mobile, or any ISP per se. It's about the PHYSICS of radio waves. Any ISP has the ability to negotiate a business deal to link to satellite resources... at a price of course. The physics don't change... only the game players.

Bottom line is consumers have another communications tool. But like everything else, you must cough up the extra cash to play.

 

[ducksface]

If you're always within a few hundred feet of pavement.
Don't bother.

If you should take a survival kit with you to walk away from the vehicle far enough to poop in privacy...
Please bother.

It will eventually take over cell just as analog and 2g are gone.
By then they'll be ubiquitous and on an end cap at Wal-Mart.

Could be next week or next decade or farther but this bleeding edge tool is for hipsters and real outdoorsers(if outdoorsey has been so damn silly to not have the adequate satellite equipment already available) in these next few advancement cycles.

 

[dkoldman]

It's not really about Starlink or T-Mobile, or any ISP per se. It's about the PHYSICS of radio waves. Any ISP has the ability to negotiate a business deal to link to satellite resources... at a price of course. The physics don't change... only the game players.

Bottom line is consumers have another communications tool. But like everything else, you must cough up the extra cash to play.

For me, I think the bottom line that many don't have to get another communications tool to have internet and cellular.

One time in 5 years I had camping trip with no internet or cell service. I don't know the catch, but hope is that all things being equal if I go back to that same park, I will have internet with no additional cost. if cost more, I agree for me nothing changes because I don't need internet where T Mobile does not have today.

With that said, my money says that next year this time it will likely be a lot of unhappy consumers on what things will cost. Think why for many their cable of You Tube TV is so expensive and they remind you of all the channels you have. But then when you do the math, you see you only need a handful of the channels but they REQUIRE you to pay for most all of them to get the few you want. If 90% of America is going to have to start paying for the remote access to internet that 90% of America don't need, somebody gonna make billions.

 

[dkoldman]

If you're always within a few hundred feet of pavement.
Don't bother.

If you should take a survival kit with you to walk away from the vehicle far enough to poop in privacy...
Please bother.

It will eventually take over cell just as analog and 2g are gone.
By then they'll be ubiquitous and on an end cap at Wal-Mart.

Could be next week or next decade or farther but this bleeding edge tool is for hipsters and real outdoorsers(if they've been so damn silly to not have adequate equipment already available) in these next few advancement cycles.

We stream live in the RV while driving. Dallas to Houston, Dallas to Denver, Dallas to Memphis etc, short an occasional dead spot, it has never been an impact. We average 250GB / month on T Mobile Home Internet.

As long as customers can buy what they need is my point. In my view and my take, is I don't need it, but it is coming to my service now? Instead of having joy that I may be able to use the satellite internet, my fear is they gonna make me pay for it and then throw me in the math of another paying subscriber as if I wanted it


FWIW, you are talking to a guy that once got a letter from AT&T that said Mr. Coleman you have been a long time good customer, but we must inform you that effective in 30 days all Analogs towers will be shutdown, if you don't agree to select a new Digital plan we will have to discontinue your service. I was willing to go to the end. Two weeks later, AT&T on their own sent us 2 new Digital phones and a new plan at our previous rate. If I recall.... we spent the next two years saying "Can you hear me now"

 

[ducksface]

I had $5 yardsale, pre-brick phone, packet phones in every vehicle until even Stovepipe Wells was taken off of that old grid... maybe 2009¿
Sssoooo powerful.
Could dial 911.

Oddly, in my shop clean out not even one of them has popped up.

I didn't buy 4g or 5g until forced to.
This will probably be the same with the satellite phones.

As a modern phone I've only owned
1 Nokia with a huge battery
1 Treo 600
1 Samsung 3series
2 LG v20's
My current Samsung 24+.

I've never broken a phone screen.


The old v20's do duty in the rv as screens for apps and maps and a heads-up windshield display and we download movies on them for mirroring to the tv.

 

[Scubawise]

So full FCC approval is here, so the drums about dead spots for T Mobile customers will no longer be beaten.

https://www.androidpolice.com/t-mobiles-starlink-cell-coverage-just-got-full-fcc-approval/

It is of no surprise to me, that T mobile or Starlink has not tipped their hat on the catch. I am sure it has to cost more? If so; I have no intentions of buying, but at least those that find fault with T Mobile in the remote spots will be muted.

Excellent news appreciated

 

[Scubawise]

So full FCC approval is here, so the drums about dead spots for T Mobile customers will no longer be beaten.

https://www.androidpolice.com/t-mobiles-starlink-cell-coverage-just-got-full-fcc-approval/

It is of no surprise to me, that T mobile or Starlink has not tipped their hat on the catch. I am sure it has to cost more? If so; I have no intentions of buying, but at least those that find fault with T Mobile in the remote spots will be muted.

We camp at many state parks up in the mountains
A game changer

 

[dkoldman]

We camp at many state parks up in the mountains
A game changer

I am sure whatever this will be, is coming to Verizon & AT&T soon. Let me ask you this, how much more are you willing to pay by month to be able to use roaming internet no matter where you are?

For me, it is like why I don't have international calling or texting. I don't need it. If I take a vacation to Mexico, I prolly wouldn't even take my phone short the need for pictures.

Can wait to see how T Mobile rammed this on all of their customers.

 

[16ACE27]

Verizon already has satellite text messaging with the SPOT people.

https://www.verizon.com/wireless-devices/smartphones/messages-via-satellite/

 

[dkoldman]

Verizon already has satellite text messaging with the SPOT people.

https://www.verizon.com/wireless-devices/smartphones/messages-via-satellite/

Isn't the Verizon current service text messaging only?

This new offer coming by T Mobile is full FCC approval for satellite-powered internet to T-Mobile phones, using SpaceX’s direct-to-cell satellites.

Contrary to what some may think, I don't post the thread out of glee for T Mobile, but out of fear of whats to come as they are now in bed with Starlink :whistling: In the last year or so, not much good has come from T Mobile's mouth. I look at my bill every month waiting on the price increase they promised or they send me a pink slip pun intended) for how i use Home Internet.

In my view this new capability is only going to be good for a few people. At least in the next few years. But that assessment is speculative until T Mobile announces what it will cost. If they are going to treat it just like when they stand up another tower and not increase rates, then I will admit it is a nice to have. If they offer it as an option to add on, I will view that too as a nice to have. But if they say every phone while have this access and we are going to charge you $10.99/mo I am gonna be pissed.

 

[16ACE27]

I am sure whatever this will be, is coming to Verizon & AT&T soon.

Verizon already has satellite text messaging with the SPOT people.

https://www.verizon.com/wireless-devices/smartphones/messages-via-satellite/

Isn't the Verizon current service text messaging only?

Yep, that's what I said.

 

[10scDust]

Verizon already has satellite text messaging with the SPOT people.

https://www.verizon.com/wireless-devices/smartphones/messages-via-satellite/

I can take you right outside my house, here in SE TN and Verizon anything, internet, phone or texting does not work. Why we switched to AT&T. There is an RV park less than 4 miles away too.

 

[16ACE27]

I can take you right outside my house, here in SE TN and Verizon anything, internet, phone or texting does not work. Why we switched to AT&T. There is an RV park less than 4 miles away too.

So you have no Verizon cell service in that spot. Not unusual, plenty of spots in the US with no cell service for X carrier.

But what's that got to do with satellite service?

 

[dkoldman]

Yep, that's what I said.

But the thread is about T Mobile announcing full service internet with Starlink? If Verizon only has text messenging that is what I see different. What am I missing ��

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

But the thread is about T Mobile announcing full service internet with Starlink? If Verizon only has text messenging that is what I see different. What am I missing ��

It means Verizon hasn't coughed up the big bucks... yet. Hang in there Elon... they'll eventually cave!

 

[Scubawise]

I am sure whatever this will be, is coming to Verizon & AT&T soon. Let me ask you this, how much more are you willing to pay by month to be able to use roaming internet no matter where you are?

For me, it is like why I don't have international calling or texting. I don't need it. If I take a vacation to Mexico, I prolly wouldn't even take my phone short the need for pictures.

Can wait to see how T Mobile rammed this on all of their customers.

Anything for cell phone type signal.
Here is why...


“No one leaves here alive. So please stop treating yourself as an afterthought. Eat delicious food. Walk in the sun. Jump into the sea. Speak the truth that you carry in your heart like a hidden treasure. Be silly. Be good. Be weird. There is no time for anything else.”
- Anthony Hopkins

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

I can see the day coming when ALL phones have dual antennas to receive BOTH land based signals and satellite. Seamless communication regardless of being inside a skyscraper in Dallas or out in the Mountains in southern Colorado... it JUST WORKS.

The issue is getting Elon and the Big Three land based carriers to sit down and hammer out a deal...

Probably won't happen in my lifetime... but it's coming. Who knows? If Elon loses his government welfare check It could be someone other than Starlink satellites... which will eventually fall from orbit and vaporize.

At any rate the concept of LEO satellite comms has been proven. It's just a matter of who's going to maintain an expensive fleet of constant orbit deteriorating hardware. GUARANTEED someone will... the genie's out of the bottle - just like AI.

 

[Bob Nodine]

We use AT&T cell service on our two phones that support both WiFi internet and WiFi calling thru Starlink. We can be in the middle of no where and our cell phones are fully functional as long as the Starlink is connected and we are in range of the router. This can even be going down the highway at 65 MPH. The Gen 3 flat mounted on the roof of the RV is amazing.

 

[dkoldman]

We use AT&T cell service on our two phones that support both WiFi internet and WiFi calling thru Starlink. We can be in the middle of no where and our cell phones are fully functional as long as the Starlink is connected and we are in range of the router. This can even be going down the highway at 65 MPH. The Gen 3 flat mounted on the roof of the RV is amazing.

My point that I hope to learn?

Was there any extra cost to now have the ability to get Starlink internet in remote areas when AT&T cellular was not available?

Take Starlink out the equation and it has been par for the course for us 3 years now to stream internet 99.9% of the time to wherever we go at 65 -70 mph.

Yes we travel major roads and yes with the exception of one State Park in Arkansas, T mobile has had service.

Life has been good for our use. Today Tomorrow I worry what the new deal is going to mean for customers like me that don't have a need for remote internet? Will I just get it and it be a bonus benefit, or will I have to pay monthly because of some occurrence where I could use it?