KDDI said the agreement will enhance its cellular connectivity to areas beyond the limits of current 4G and 5G networks
Japanese carrier KDDI and SpaceX announced an agreement to provide satellite-to-cellular service using Starlink’s low earth orbit satellites and KDDI national wireless spectrum nationwide.
Starlink is the satellite internet constellation operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
In a release, the Japanese company said the new agreement will enhance KDDI’s cellular connectivity to areas beyond the limits of current 4G and 5G networks, including remote islands and mountains.
KDDI and SpaceX plan to start with SMS text services as early as 2024 and will eventually provide voice and data services under the agreement. Almost all existing smartphones on KDDI network will be compatible with this new service as it employs the device’s existing radio services, the Japanese telco explained.
“KDDI and SpaceX also invite carries worldwide to join the ecosystem of mobile network operators bringing next generation satellite enabled connectivity to their customers,” KDDI said.
The two companies also noted that the service is planned to be provided, based on the establishment of radio-related laws and regulations in Japan.
In July, Australian carrier Telstra said it will tap Starlink into to provide fixed broadband and voice services to rural Australians.
“Australia is a big place. We’ve got over 7.6 million square kilometers of land with 26 million of us spread across it — which creates a unique challenge in keeping all of us adequately connected — and means some of us can’t get the same quality connection of those in more metro areas,” wrote TelstraRegional Australia Executive and Regional Customer Advocate Loretta Willaton in a blog post. “To help provide additional solutions for these customers, we’re now working with Starlink to deliver Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity to provide voice and fixed broadband services in remote and hard to reach places.”
Willaton added that in most circumstances, users can expect the latency, download speeds and general experience offered by the LEO satellite service to be “far superior to copper-based ADSL.”
Telstra said it expects the new service options to be available for customers and businesses towards the end of the year. Pricing and plan details will also be made available at that time.
