Latest news with #satelliteinternet
CTV News
4 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Elon Musk's Starlink network suffers rare global outage
Elon Musk attends the finals for the NCAA wrestling championship, Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, file) SpaceX's Starlink suffered one of its biggest international outages on Thursday when an internal software failure knocked tens of thousands of users offline, a rare disruption for Elon Musk's powerful satellite internet system. Users in the U.S. and Europe began experiencing the outage at around 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT), according to Downdetector, a crowdsourced outage tracker that said as many as 61,000 user reports to the site were made. Starlink, which has more than 6 million users across roughly 140 countries and territories, later acknowledged the outage on its X account and said 'we are actively implementing a solution.' Starlink service mostly resumed after 2.5 hours, Michael Nicolls, Starlink vice president of Starlink Engineering, wrote on X. 'The outage was due to failure of key internal software services that operate the core network,' Nicolls said, apologizing for the disruption and vowing to find its root cause. Musk had also apologized: 'Sorry for the outage. SpaceX will remedy root cause to ensure it doesn't happen again,' the SpaceX CEO wrote on X. The outage was a rare hiccup for SpaceX's most commercially sensitive business that had experts speculating whether the service, known for its resilience and rapid growth, was beset by a glitch, a botched software update or even a cyberattack. Doug Madory, an expert at the internet analysis firm Kentik, said the outage was global and that such a sweeping interruption was unusual. 'This is likely the longest outage ever for Starlink, at least while it became a major service provider,' Madory said. As Starlink gained more users, SpaceX has focused heavily in recent months on updating its network to accommodate demands for higher speed and bandwidth. The company in a partnership with T-Mobile is also expanding the constellation with larger, more powerful satellites to offer direct-to-cell text messaging services, a line of business in which mobile phone users can send emergency text messages through the network in rural areas. SpaceX has launched more than 8,000 Starlink satellites since 2020, building a uniquely distributed network in low-Earth orbit that has attracted intense demand from militaries, transportation industries and consumers in rural areas with poor access to traditional, fiber-based internet. 'I'd speculate this is a bad software update, not entirely dissimilar to the CrowdStrike mess with Windows last year, or a cyberattack,' said Gregory Falco, director of a space and cybersecurity laboratory at Cornell University. An update to CrowdStrike's widely used cybersecurity software led to worldwide flight cancellations and impacted industries around the globe in July last year. The outage disrupted internet services, affecting 8.5 million Microsoft Windows devices. It was unclear whether Thursday's outage affected SpaceX's other satellite-based services that rely on the Starlink network. Starshield, the company's military satellite business unit, has billions of dollars' worth of contracts with the Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies. Separately, Reuters reported on Friday that Musk ordered a partial shutdown of Starlink during a pivotal push by Ukraine to retake territory in its war with Russia in late September 2022. --- Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City, and Raphael Satter and Joey Roulette in Washington; Editing by Anil D'Silva, Matthew Lewis and Toby Chopra
CNET
6 days ago
- Business
- CNET
How to Get Starlink's $349 Satellite Dish for Free
As inflation and tariffs continue to push electronics prices higher, one deal is looking better and better: free Starlink equipment. It's no exaggeration to say that Starlink's satellite internet is a game changer in rural areas with limited options for high-speed internet. But it's expensive: At $120 a month for its standard plan, Starlink costs nearly twice as much as the average internet bill. And that's before you factor in its $349 upfront cost for equipment. But starting at the end of April 2025, Starlink began offering a much more impressive deal: the $349 Starlink Kit for free. All you need to do is commit to one year of service. Before you get too excited, there are a few caveats about the deal. It's only available in select states right now, and you'll still have to pay taxes on the kit. There's also no telling how long the deal will last. On X, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote, 'Starlink is trying out a service plan commitment in exchange for $0 down in some markets. We'll see how it goes.' Locating local internet providers If you've been on the fence about signing up for Starlink, it's worth checking to see if your address is eligible for this deal. You're not likely to see another $349 offer from Starlink anytime soon. How does the free Starlink Kit offer work? Starlink says the Starlink Kit is available 'in select areas' to customers who commit to 12 months of Residential service, which costs $120 per month. Starlink also says the deal is available in 'certain markets' to customers on the Residential Lite plan, a slower option that only costs $80 monthly. Interestingly, the maps showing availability of the Residential Lite plan and the free Starlink Kit are exactly the same. If you can get one, you should be able to get the other. That said, when I ran a handful of test address checks, the Residential Lite plan wasn't always available where the free Starlink Kit was. If the deal is available, it will automatically be applied during checkout. At that time, you will pay only the shipping and taxes for the Standard Kit in your state. Starlink Who is eligible for the $0 Starlink Kit? The only thing you need to take advantage of the free Starlink Kit offer is an eligible address. Right now, the deal is available in parts of 26 states. In cities where would-be Starlink customers are currently on a waiting list, like Denver, Salt Lake City and Phoenix, you can't get the free equipment -- because you can't sign up for service at all. Starlink Where the deal is available has also changed since it launched in April. You can no longer get it in New York state, for instance, or parts of southern California. Here are the 26 states where the $0 Starlink Kit is currently available: Alaska Arizona California Colorado Hawaii Idaho Iowa Kansas Maine Massachusetts Minnesota Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Mexico New York North Dakota Oklahoma Oregon South Dakota Texas Utah Vermont Wyoming You'll still have to pay taxes on the Starlink Kit Starlink's $0 kit offer isn't entirely free -- you will still have to pay sales tax based on the $349 sticker price. This will differ based on the state and local taxes at your address. At an address in Utah, for instance, the taxes came out to $22.16. In California, it came out to $33.17. You'll also pay $30 to have the Standard Kit shipped to your address. Does Starlink's free equipment offer have any catches in the fine print? Internet deals are usually chock full of fine print that makes it hard to understand what you're actually getting, but Starlink's free equipment offer is actually pretty simple. All you have to do to qualify is use the dish at an eligible address and maintain service for 12 months. However, there are a few actions that can result in a $325 change fee, which would effectively negate the free equipment offer: Changing your service address Canceling service Failing to pay your bill on time Attempting to transfer your kit to another user Canceling service during the 30-day trial and not returning your kit As long as you keep your account in good standing at the same address for one year, the Standard Kit will be completely on the house.
CNET
7 days ago
- Business
- CNET
T-Mobile Is Bringing Starlink to Your Phone Tomorrow. See If You'll Get It For Free
Going off-grid might soon be a thing of the past, as T-Mobile's partnership with SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service gets ready to launch on July 23. The direct-to-cell messaging service, called T-Satellite, will also be available to AT&T and Verizon cellphone customers. T-Mobile says its goal is to "eliminate mobile dead zones for good" by way of 657 Starlink satellites that'll be used exclusively for cellphone service. T-Satellite has been in beta testing since December 2024, with nearly 1.8 million users signing up so far. The direct-to-cell messaging service represents a major step forward in mobile technology: It works with most phones made during the last four years, according to T-Mobile, instead of requiring dedicated hardware. It'll be available to T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon customers for $10 a month -- or free for anyone on T-Mobile's Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plans. "At the end of the day, it's nice to be able to send a selfie when you're in a place where there is no coverage, but it's vital to be able to connect to emergency services," Mike Katz, T-Mobile president of marketing, strategy and products, told CNET's Jeff Carlson. "We just think that with a technology like this, no customer should ever be in a situation where they are unconnected in an emergency." Sadly, T-Mobile has already had a reason to test out this emergency service, when it enabled T-Satellite earlier this week in communities affected by massive flooding in Central Texas. T-Mobile customers in the area are able to use text-to-911 and basic text messaging, and they can receive emergency alerts on compatible devices. In the future, T-Satellite will be free for emergency uses across the country. The company said 911 texting will be available later this year to "any mobile customer with a compatible device, regardless of carrier or whether or not they are subscribed to the service." What is T-Satellite? T-Satellite is a partnership between T-Mobile and Starlink that will allow direct-to-cell SMS messaging accessibility in areas where there is no cellular coverage. Starlink has more than 7,000 low-Earth orbit satellites in the sky, and now, 657 of them will be devoted entirely to T-Satellite. The goal is to expand coverage into the 500,000 square miles of the US that traditional cell towers can't reach, says T-Mobile. 'When you leave the terrestrial network and you go to a place where there's no network, your phone will automatically search for and connect to the satellite network, which is quite different than any other of the satellite systems that are out there that force you to manually connect, and you have to point your phone up to the sky," says Katz. Satellite connectivity in cellphones isn't exactly new -- iPhones have had it since 2022 -- but it's typically been reserved for SOS messaging to connect you with an emergency dispatcher. On July 23, T-Satellite users will be able to send SMS texts on iPhone and Android. Android users will also get MMS immediately, with iPhone support 'to follow.' This means users will be able to send images and audio clips in addition to standard text messages. In October, the service will expand to include data support in third-party apps like AccuWeather, AllTrails, WhatsApp and X. The access takes advantage of hooks built into iOS and Android software, so developers can make their apps capable of sending data through the narrow amounts of bandwidth available via satellite. This is far beyond what the other phone carriers have launched so far in the satellite realm -- largely due to T-Mobile's partnership with Starlink. AT&T and Verizon have both partnered with AST SpaceMobile for satellite messaging, and Verizon told CNET's Eli Blumenthal last year that it's still planning on working with Amazon's Project Kuiper, which launched its first 27 satellites on April 28, 2025. 'Despite things that our competitors have said, they are way, way behind on this technology,' says Katz. How much will T-Satellite cost? On July 23, T-Satellite will be available to AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon customers for a standalone $10 per month. But there's one exception: Customers on T-Mobile's Experience Beyond plan ($100 per month for one line) or the Go5G Next plan will get the service for included in the cost of the plan going forward, and those on the Experience More plan ($85 per month) will get it through the end of the year. Even if you don't pay the $10 a month, T-Mobile says 911 texting will be available later this year 'to any mobile customer with a compatible device, regardless of carrier.' If you're a Verizon or AT&T customer, you'll have to activate T-Satellite as a second eSIM on your phone to take advantage of the service. You can find instructions on setting up the eSIM here. Which phones are supported? Most phones released in the past couple of years will work with T-Satellite. Here are the devices that are currently compatible with the beta version: Apple iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 (all models) Google Google Pixel 9 Google Pixel 9A Google Pixel 9 Pro Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Motorola Moto G Stylus 2025 Moto Razr 2024 Moto Razr Plus 2024 Moto Razr 2025 Moto Razr Plus 2025 Moto Razr Ultra 2025 Moto Razr Ultra Plus 2025 Samsung Samsung Galaxy A25 5G SE* Samsung Galaxy A35 5G Samsung Galaxy A36 Samsung Galaxy A36 SE Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Samsung Galaxy A54 5G* Samsung Galaxy S21 Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Samsung Galaxy S22 Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S22 FE Samsung Galaxy S23 Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Samsung Galaxy S25 Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 Pro Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 *Some non-T-Mobile device variants are not satellite-capable. When T-Satellite launches on July 23, the following devices will also be compatible: Motorola Motorola Edge 2024 Moto G 2024 Moto G Stylus 2024 Moto G 5G 2024 Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 Samsung Samsung Galaxy A14 Samsung Galaxy A15* Samsung Galaxy A16 Samsung Galaxy A35 Samsung Galaxy A53* Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro *Some non-T-Mobile device variants are not satellite-capable. T-Mobile T-Mobile Revvl 7 T-Mobile Revvl 7 Pro How to try T-Mobile's Starlink service today If you're anxious to try T-Mobile's Starlink satellite messaging service and don't want to wait until July 23, you can still attempt to sign up for the beta. I wouldn't hold out too much hope, though -- when I entered my information, I got a message back saying, 'Due to high demand, we're admitting beta testers on a rolling basis. Keep an eye out for an update in the coming weeks.'
CNET
17-07-2025
- Business
- CNET
T-Mobile's Starlink Service Launches Next Week. Here's How to Get It on Any Carrier
We're less than a week away from the launch of T-Mobile's partnership with SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service. The direct-to-cell messaging service, called T-Satellite, will also be available to AT&T and Verizon cellphone customers. T-Mobile says its goal is to "eliminate mobile dead zones for good" by way of 657 Starlink satellites that'll be used exclusively for cellphone service. T-Satellite has been in beta testing since December 2024, with nearly 1.8 million users signing up so far. The direct-to-cell messaging service represents a major step forward in mobile technology: It works with most phones made during the last four years, according to T-Mobile, instead of requiring dedicated hardware. It'll be available to T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon customers for $10 a month -- or free for anyone on T-Mobile's Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plans. "At the end of the day, it's nice to be able to send a selfie when you're in a place where there is no coverage, but it's vital to be able to connect to emergency services," Mike Katz, T-Mobile president of marketing, strategy and products, told CNET's Jeff Carlson. "We just think that with a technology like this, no customer should ever be in a situation where they are unconnected in an emergency." Sadly, T-Mobile has already had a reason to test out this emergency service, when it enabled T-Satellite earlier this week in communities affected by massive flooding in Central Texas. T-Mobile customers in the area are able to use text-to-911 and basic text messaging, and they can receive emergency alerts on compatible devices. In the future, T-Satellite will be free for emergency uses across the country. The company said 911 texting will be available later this year to "any mobile customer with a compatible device, regardless of carrier or whether or not they are subscribed to the service." What is T-Satellite? T-Satellite is a partnership between T-Mobile and Starlink that will allow direct-to-cell SMS messaging accessibility in areas where there is no cellular coverage. Starlink has more than 7,000 low-Earth orbit satellites in the sky, and now, 657 of them will be devoted entirely to T-Satellite. The goal is to expand coverage into the 500,000 square miles of the US that traditional cell towers can't reach, says T-Mobile. 'When you leave the terrestrial network and you go to a place where there's no network, your phone will automatically search for and connect to the satellite network, which is quite different than any other of the satellite systems that are out there that force you to manually connect, and you have to point your phone up to the sky," says Katz. Satellite connectivity in cellphones isn't exactly new -- iPhones have had it since 2022 -- but it's typically been reserved for SOS messaging to connect you with an emergency dispatcher. On July 23, T-Satellite users will be able to send SMS texts on iPhone and Android. Android users will also get MMS immediately, with iPhone support 'to follow.' This means users will be able to send images and audio clips in addition to standard text messages. In October, the service will expand to include data support in third-party apps like AccuWeather, AllTrails, WhatsApp and X. The access takes advantage of hooks built into iOS and Android software, so developers can make their apps capable of sending data through the narrow amounts of bandwidth available via satellite. This is far beyond what the other phone carriers have launched so far in the satellite realm -- largely due to T-Mobile's partnership with Starlink. AT&T and Verizon have both partnered with AST SpaceMobile for satellite messaging, and Verizon told CNET's Eli Blumenthal last year that it's still planning on working with Amazon's Project Kuiper, which launched its first 27 satellites on April 28, 2025. 'Despite things that our competitors have said, they are way, way behind on this technology,' says Katz. How much will T-Satellite cost? On July 23, T-Satellite will be available to AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon customers for a standalone $10 per month. But there's one exception: Customers on T-Mobile's Experience Beyond plan ($100 per month for one line) or the Go5G Next plan will get the service for included in the cost of the plan going forward, and those on the Experience More plan ($85 per month) will get it through the end of the year. Even if you don't pay the $10 a month, T-Mobile says 911 texting will be available later this year 'to any mobile customer with a compatible device, regardless of carrier.' If you're a Verizon or AT&T customer, you'll have to activate T-Satellite as a second eSIM on your phone to take advantage of the service. You can find instructions on setting up the eSIM here. Which phones are supported? Most phones released in the past couple of years will work with T-Satellite. Here are the devices that are currently compatible with the beta version: Apple iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 (all models) Google Google Pixel 9 Google Pixel 9A Google Pixel 9 Pro Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Motorola Moto G Stylus 2025 Moto Razr 2024 Moto Razr Plus 2024 Moto Razr 2025 Moto Razr Plus 2025 Moto Razr Ultra 2025 Moto Razr Ultra Plus 2025 Samsung Samsung Galaxy A25 5G SE* Samsung Galaxy A35 5G Samsung Galaxy A36 Samsung Galaxy A36 SE Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Samsung Galaxy A54 5G* Samsung Galaxy S21 Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Samsung Galaxy S22 Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S22 FE Samsung Galaxy S23 Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Samsung Galaxy S25 Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 Pro Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 *Some non-T-Mobile device variants are not satellite-capable. When T-Satellite launches on July 23, the following devices will also be compatible: Motorola Motorola Edge 2024 Moto G 2024 Moto G Stylus 2024 Moto G 5G 2024 Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 Samsung Samsung Galaxy A14 Samsung Galaxy A15* Samsung Galaxy A16 Samsung Galaxy A35 Samsung Galaxy A53* Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro *Some non-T-Mobile device variants are not satellite-capable. T-Mobile T-Mobile Revvl 7 T-Mobile Revvl 7 Pro How to try T-Mobile's Starlink service today If you're anxious to try T-Mobile's Starlink satellite messaging service and don't want to wait until July 23, you can still attempt to sign up for the beta. I wouldn't hold out too much hope, though -- when I entered my information, I got a message back saying, 'Due to high demand, we're admitting beta testers on a rolling basis. Keep an eye out for an update in the coming weeks.'
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ukraine to offer mobile phone data in partnership with Elon Musk's Starlink
A Ukrainian mobile operator claims to be the first company in Europe to test satellite internet that goes directly to a cell phone. Kyivstar announced earlier this month that direct to cell (DTC) testing had started with Elon Musk's SpaceX, the parent company of Starlink. During the test, mobile phones with 4G or LTE networks connected directly to a satellite in orbit so they could send and receive text messages. The eventual Starlink partnership will give Ukrainians access to the internet in so-called 'white spots,' regions that don't get traditional mobile coverage including mountainous and rural areas. The company said the DTC connection is 'especially important in wartime when infrastructure may be damaged or power outages may occur'. Related Eutelsat in talks to increase satellite terminals in Ukraine amid Starlink service concern Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov confirmed to Reuters that Starlink-powered mobile connections will become available by mid-2026. Starlink has been used by Ukrainian military and civilians since March 2022, when Musk agreed to ship kits for the internet network directly to homes. However, the use of Starlink during the war has been met with backlash. Reuters reported in February that Musk had threatened to turn off the satellites if Ukraine did not make a deal with the United States on critical minerals. Musk later denied the claims, saying that Starlink will 'never turn off its terminals,' in Ukraine. Euronews Next reached out to SpaceX and Kyivstar but did not get an immediate reply. European authorities have been testing several companies to see whether they could become a replacement for Musk's Starlink in Ukraine. In March, Euronews Next reported that satellite operator Eutelsat was in talks to increase its satellite capability in Ukraine in response to the threats from Musk. The Franco-British company has more than 630 satellites moving in low-Earth orbit around the world that offer the 'same capacities' as Starlink for coverage and response time, a spokesperson for the company said at the time. Eutelsat is already being used in Ukraine to 'support government and institutional communications,' the company added. Related Govsatcom, Eutelsat, Iris2: Ukraine seeks European alternatives to Starlink Another alternative that Europe is considering is the IRIS2 project, a network of 290 satellites in low and medium Earth orbit that could offer ultra-fast transmission services for users. Christophe Grudler, rapporteur for the project at the European Parliament, previously told Euronews that IRIS2 should be operational by 2028, two years before the initial launch date of 2030. It was not immediately clear whether Starlink's expansion would affect those plans. Euronews Next reached out to Eutelsat and the consortium behind IRIS2 but did not immediately hear back.
