When T-Mobile and Starlink teamed up to announce T-Mobile Starlinka satellite internet service that would one day bring a data connection to your T-Mobile phone in remote locations, they told us a beta program is open for registration. The plan, at least at the time of initial signup, was to wait in line to get access to the service, which was expected to launch in early 2025. Turns out, T-Mobile is already inviting users to give the new service a try . run.
Several people have reported receiving a text message with an invitation to set up T-Mobile Starlink. And we’re talking about iPhone and Android owners as potentially having early access, so this isn’t one of those situations where one platform is favored over the other to begin with. In fact, I’ve seen reports of the iPhone 15 Pro coming to Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy Z Fold 6 owners. Some Pixel 9 Pro owners are claiming the same thing, but they may be confusing the satellite features already included with the phones Pixel and T-Mobile Starlink.
For Samsung phone owners, a new setting called “Satellite Networks” (Settings > Connections > Satellite Networks) appears and specifically mentions the need to “Contact T-Mobile for details” on how to make it work. I imagine you would need to be invited. For iPhone and iOS users, the setting is buried in Settings > Cellular, then your active SIM card.
But speaking of invitations, people on iOS are report that they receive text messages from T-Mobile with invitations after signing up for the T-Mobile Starlink beta program. I haven’t seen anyone on Android say the same thing yet, it’s just find these new satellite settings on their supported devices running on T-Mobile.
To recap, T-Mobile Starlink will initially launch as a way to send SMS or text messages via Starlink satellites in remote areas without a traditional data connection from a T-Mobile tower. Eventually, the plan is to offer call and data connections to make it a true dial-up Internet service.
If you are interested, you can sign up for the T-Mobile Starlink beta and cross your fingers for an invitation.
