- T-Mobile has opened a public American beta for Starlink satellite connection
- You don’t have to be a T-Mobile customer to sign up
- Service is free to test until July
T-Mobile has just announced that you can now access Starlink connection for free from your iPhone or Android device. The feature has just entered the public beta and can be used by anyone who has a compatible device (see below for a complete list), even if you are a customer with another mobile carrier.
Once you have signed up, your phone will be able to automatically connect to Starlink’s satellite network. This allows you to send and receive iMessages and SMS texts when Wi-Fi and Cellular Service are not available. T-Mobile says support for voice calls and mobile data will come to a later date.
The service is free for now with limited locations available and approved testers will have access until July. Then any T-Mobile customer on Go5G Next Plan (or other eligible plan) will continue to receive Starlink connection for free. Other T-Mobile customers pay $ 15 a month, while anyone else with another carrier pays $ 20 a month.
And in a welcome bonus, T-Mobile says that some of its customers who sign up for the beta by the end of February will receive a discount of $ 10 per day. Month that starts in July.
Seeing stars
Apple users already have free access to satellite connection, although this is provided by Globalstar, not Starlink. Apple initially limited this to contact relief services, but it can now be used to send iMessages and SMS texts to someone when you don’t have Wi-Fi or cellular service. Unlike Starlink, Apple users have to point their device to the sky to connect to a satellite.
Apple says all users of T-Mobile’s Starlink offer will see the letters “set” in their device’s status bar when connected to a satellite. If you want to use your device with Starlink, Apple says you need a phone from iPhone 14, iPhone 15 or iPhone 16 varies, the latest version of iOS and service from a compatible carrier (note that some carriers may require a Specific supported cellular plan).
As for Android, T-Mobile says the Starlink service will work with “most smartphones from the last four years”. A complete list of compatible devices is below. So the next time you are out in the desert without a reliable mobile connection, you have another option at your disposal. You never know it could end up saving the day.
These phones that are compatible with T-Mobile Starlink at the time of writing:
- Apple iPhone 14 and later (including Plus, Pro & Pro Max)
- Google Pixel 9 (Including Pro, Pro Fold, & Pro XL)
- Motorola 2024 and later (including Razr, Razr+, Edge and G Series)
- Samsung Galaxy A14, A15, A16, A35, A53, A54
- Samsung Galaxy S21 and later (including Plus, Ultra and Fan Edition)
- Samsung Galaxy X Cover6 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 and later
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and later
- Revvl 7 (including Pro)
