Starlink set to launch 5G carrier service with drastic satellite constellation expansion

SpaceX plans to launch a dizzying amount of direct-to-cell satellites to create the largest space constellation that will beam its upcoming 5G service to phones on the ground.

In its newest filing, SpaceX requests that the FCC approve the launch of the whopping 15,000 direct-to-cell satellites of a new V3 generation. These offer 20x the throughput of the current 650 or so V2 satellites that Starlink provides cell phone service with.

The current Starlink direct-to-cell units can only offer messaging and limited data for optimized apps via partnerships like the T-Satellite service of T-Mobile. With the new constellation of up to 15,000 V3 satellites, Starlink will be able to create a cellular network that can beam 5G data to any cell phone on the ground.

In the filing, SpaceX is also informing that it will expand its vast network of Starlink ground bases to provide greater coverage, faster speeds, and lower latency. The Starlink 5G service will be able to secure speeds of up to 100 Mbps, or as much as the Starlink Mini dish can currently muster, but received via a dedicated satellite modem chip in a carrier phone.

Speaking of carriers, while SpaceX is signing deals with the likes of T-Mobile for Starlink satellite connectivity, it apparently now has plans to become the world's first space carrier, too. Buoyed by the vast amounts of spectrum it acquired for $17 billion from Dish's parent company, Elon Musk said that "you should be able to have Starlink like you have an AT&T, or T-Mobile, or Verizon [service]" going forward.

Needless to say, such a Starlink 5G service would be a game changer, no matter how Musk downplays its abilities on account of the fact that US carriers still "own a lot of spectrum." While a Starlink 5G network will only be able to provide 100 Mbps downloads, that is still as fast as Verizon or AT&T offered as median LTE speeds on their networks just last year.

Needless to say, all of these plans hinge on the successful tests of the Starship 3 rocket that will be used to launch the V3 satellites, which are as big as a Boeing 737 when unfurled. SpaceX aims for a maiden Starship 3 flight this year and the launch of V3 satellites in 2026, when it will also be able to turn on its gigabit speed network to serve dedicated gear like the new Performance dish.