Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel use towers.
New Delhi: Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited and Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Airtel Limited are up for a fierce competition from an American player who is very likely to overtake these two telecommunication giants. Jio and Airtel are the two biggest players in the field on mobile communication and high-speed internet data, at least till now. Both of them are providing latest features like 5G network and OTT platforms at sustainable prices.
But, it all seems to end pretty soon!
Starlink of SpaceX, a company owned by Elon Musk, has launched a new satellite communication service “direct-to-cell”. Through this technology, users will be able to connect their smartphones directly to Starlink’s satellites. This means that there will not be a need for traditional mobile towers and internet and call connectivity will be available even in those places where telecom companies have not been able to install cell towers.
Along with Starlink’s direct-to-cell service launch, the SpaceX team also announced partnerships with several major telecom companies. Elon Musk himself has confirmed this list by a post.
Starlink has been continuously expanding its satellite communications network for the past few months. The company is constantly deploying new satellites along with launching new rockets to increase the speed. According to a report by TweakTown, users are now enjoying the internet at speeds of 250-350Mbps. This is much higher than the 50-60Mbps speed available through fiber in South Australian areas.
This new service of Starlink is definitely a unique achievement in satellite communication. The service providing a direct connection to the satellite to the smartphone will not require any kind of cell tower. With this, communication services will be easily available even in areas where there is no coverage at present.
SpaceX is constantly deploying new satellites to increase connectivity around the world. By integrating satellite technology with the existing mobile network, the service offers text messages, calling, and data services without any special hardware or apps.
Apart from expanding mobile coverage, direct-to-cell technology can also prove to be very useful in emergencies. Usually, when a disaster like cyclone or earthquake occurs, there is a problem like mobile tower collapse, problem in wiring or malfunction. But if the phones are connected to the satellite network, connectivity will remain operational even at the site of the disaster and emergency services support will be available without delay.
In addition to expanding mobile coverage, the direct-to-cell service will also offer connectivity to millions of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. SpaceX claims that no special or additional hardware is required to connect devices through this technology. Users will continue to get uninterrupted connectivity during emergencies, especially while traveling in rural areas or dead zones.
SpaceX is currently manufacturing advanced rockets and spacecraft. Elon Musk’s company is also launching spacecraft and rockets to deploy Starlink satellites. Direct-to-cell satellites will currently be launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Starship.
If Elon Musk’s technology succeeds, then the future of technology will definitely be changed completely. This will have a profound impact on the telecom industry and the need for mobile towers may gradually end.
Starlink is a satellite internet service through which high-speed data is provided in more than 100 countries. Unlike cable-based broadband services, Starlink works anywhere where there is a direct view of the sky.
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