T-Mobile cellular customers (Soon will pick up satellite 5G - no VOOM necessary)

[Crapster]

SpaceX and T-Mobile are teaming up
T‑Mobile Expands Coverage Above and Beyond

https://www.t-mobile.com/news/un-carrier/t-mobile-takes-coverage-above-and-beyond-with-spacex

 

This should allow phone HOTSPOT for any other devices you're carrying.  👍

 

[Charles4515]

21 minutes ago, Crapster said:

SpaceX and T-Mobile are teaming up
T‑Mobile Expands Coverage Above and Beyond

https://www.t-mobile.com/news/un-carrier/t-mobile-takes-coverage-above-and-beyond-with-spacex

 

This should allow phone HOTSPOT for any other devices you're carrying.  👍

 

Didn't you notice it is only for text, no data or voice when it launches in beta late 2023, and at low speeds? They have not even launched the satellites. Hotspot.......dream on. Service that could replace Voom will not be  not soon, years away if ever. 

Edited August 26, 2022 by Charles4515

[twangster]

The service is not intended to replace or duplicate either T-Mobile land cellular network or the need to have high speed internet.  When it is in full production it will offer basic connectivity primarily targeted to support SMS, MMS and voice. 

 

For some people that will cover their needs while cruising as long as you are not deep within the ship such as an interior cabin or studio B.  Others will still want high speed internet to stream and do video content on social media.  

 

Starlink would never launch a service that would eliminate the need to have Starlink internet service at home, in an RV, or on a maritime vessel.  Those use cases are it's core business, or will be soon hopefully.

 

For keeping touch with friends and family back home it looks as though it will eliminate the need for many folks to buy Voom when that's all they want it for.

[klfrodo]

It is exciting to see what the future will bring technology wise. It will probably be 10 years before us T-Mobile customers actually experience this on the ship as well as I do at home. (I just tested my 5G connectivity SpeedTest on my iPhone here at the house 485Mbps download with 83.6Mbps upload)

But, we can see the future. No more $50 a day for crappy internet on the ship.

[tlguinn_2000]

31 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 They have not even launched the satellites.  

Starlink has more than 2,800 individual Starlink satellites launched to orbit

 

 As of 18 May 2022, SpaceX has over 2,300 functioning Starlink satellites in orbit

 

Edited August 26, 2022 by tlguinn_2000

[klfrodo]

2 minutes ago, tlguinn_2000 said:

Starlink has more than 2,800 individual Starlink satellites launched to orbit

However, those satellites don't have the hardware, firmware, or software. All of that is coming with the version 2 satellites, which have not launched yet.

The current version 1 satellites have basically only provided proof of concept. The future has amazing opportunities.

Edited August 26, 2022 by klfrodo

[Charles4515]

7 minutes ago, tlguinn_2000 said:

Starlink has more than 2,800 individual Starlink satellites launched to orbit

 

 As of 18 May 2022, SpaceX has over 2,300 functioning Starlink satellites in orbit

 

Those are version 1 satellites that don’t support the future announced service.  The version 2 satellites that will support the Starlink/T Mobile service have not been launched. 

[Charles4515]

51 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

However, those satellites don't have the hardware, firmware, or software. All of that is coming with the version 2 satellites, which have not launched yet.

The current version 1 satellites have basically only provided proof of concept. The future has amazing opportunities.

 

Some only read the headlines and not the details.

 

There is speculation that the Musk/TMobile announcement coming this time before satellites are launched  is to pre-empt a rumored Apple satellite connectivity anouncement on September 7. The Apple rumor has been going around for a couple of years though and is only a rumor. 

 

https://www.macrumors.com/2022/08/26/apple-globalstar-iphone-14-satellite-rumor/

Edited August 26, 2022 by Charles4515

[nelblu]

Did I not read somewhere a couple of months ago that Royal was talking to Musk and his Starlink concept.

[twangster]

5 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Did I not read somewhere a couple of months ago that Royal was talking to Musk and his Starlink concept.

 

Yes and they did a trial it on Freedom.  Any year now Starlink Maritime might be ready on a scale that could support ships all over the ocean.  Maybe 2023, maybe 2024, maybe beyond..  It's good to trial and be aware of emerging technologies like Starlink which is in its infancy.  

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

 

Yes and they did a trial it on Freedom.  Any year now Starlink Maritime might be ready on a scale that could support ships all over the ocean.  Maybe 2023, maybe 2024, maybe beyond..  It's good to trial and be aware of emerging technologies like Starlink which is in its infancy.  

 

World Cruise would be a great test lab😉

[twangster]

Just now, John&LaLa said:

 

World Cruise would be a great test lab😉

 

With T-Mobile's 4G/LTE included coverage in 210+ countries around the world it would totally make sense to switch to T-Mobile for the WC and then go back to your favorite carrier after.  Getting some free connectivity in cell dead zones on top of that is icing on the cake.  TMo should setup a kiosk in the Centrum during the first segment.

 

Hopefully Starlink maritime will have at least partial coverage at sea by then.  It'll be close.  The problem with Starlink is no backup to VSAT satellite when required whereas SES/O3b can fail back to legacy geostationary coverage when required like they do with Q class to Alaska and Norway.

 

Once they switch a ship to Starlink (in the future) unless they maintain a separate contract with a legacy satellite provider there is no fallback for when Starlink doesn't have coverage.

 

I hoped Starlink would be farther along but once I researched it it all depends on Starship.  If Starship has issues Starlink maritime with broad coverage will be held back.  By Q4 2023 and Q1 2024 we will know a lot more, but by then that WC ship will have sailed.  

 

[neverbeenhere]

35 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

World Cruise would be a great test lab😉

One cup and one end left with a trusted friend, the other cup and end with you.  Problem solved. 

[not-enough-cruising]

2 hours ago, tlguinn_2000 said:

Starlink has more than 2,800 individual Starlink satellites launched to orbit

 

 As of 18 May 2022, SpaceX has over 2,300 functioning Starlink satellites in orbit

 

None of which cover the Caribbean 

[John&LaLa]

29 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

With T-Mobile's 4G/LTE included coverage in 210+ countries around the world it would totally make sense to switch to T-Mobile for the WC and then go back to your favorite carrier after.  Getting some free connectivity in cell dead zones on top of that is icing on the cake.  TMo should setup a kiosk in the Centrum during the first segment.

 

Hopefully Starlink maritime will have at least partial coverage at sea by then.  It'll be close.  The problem with Starlink is no backup to VSAT satellite when required whereas SES/O3b can fail back to legacy geostationary coverage when required like they do with Q class to Alaska and Norway.

 

Once they switch a ship to Starlink (in the future) unless they maintain a separate contract with a legacy satellite provider there is no fallback for when Starlink doesn't have coverage.

 

I hoped Starlink would be farther along but once I researched it it all depends on Starship.  If Starship has issues Starlink maritime with broad coverage will be held back.  By Q4 2023 and Q1 2024 we will know a lot more, but by then that WC ship will have sailed.  

 

 

On T-Mobile now, but need to upgrade to Magenta Max. Been with them 16+ years. 

[twangster]

28 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

On T-Mobile now, but need to upgrade to Magenta Max. Been with them 16+ years. 

 

That's me... Magenta Max 55+ for old folks.  Love the new LTE international coverage.