---
title: "Elon Musk Says SpaceX Has Achieved 'Peak Download Speed' On A Samsung Phone With Direct-To-Cell Capable Starlink Satellites"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/109124525.md"
description: "SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that the company achieved a peak download speed of 17 Mb/s on a Samsung Android phone using Starlink satellites. SpaceX plans to offer texting services by the end of 2024 and expand to voice calls, data, and internet-of-things services in 2025. Musk clarified that Starlink's direct-to-cell service is only effective where there is no existing cellular service. The service is enabled through partnerships with wireless network providers like T-Mobile."
datetime: "2024-03-04T04:39:04.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/109124525.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/109124525.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/109124525.md)
---

> Supported Languages: [简体中文](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/109124525.md) | [繁體中文](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/109124525.md)


# Elon Musk Says SpaceX Has Achieved 'Peak Download Speed' On A Samsung Phone With Direct-To-Cell Capable Starlink Satellites

**SpaceX** CEO **Elon Musk** on Saturday said that it achieved a peak download speed of 17 Mb/s on an Android phone with the help of Starlink satellites in low-Earth orbit.

**What Happened:** The company used a Samsung Android phone without modifications.

SpaceX launched six satellites with direct-to-cell capability earlier this year. Each satellite features a modem functioning as a cell tower in space, aiming to provide users with global access to texting, calling, and internet browsing using standard LTE phones, without requiring additional hardware, software, or apps. However, unlike traditional cell towers, these satellites are constantly moving around the planet.

> SpaceX just achieved peak download speed of 17Mb/s from satellite direct to unmodified Samsung Android phone pic.twitter.com/JqPHmkriv0
> 
> — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 2, 2024

SpaceX plans to roll out texting services by the end of 2024, followed by voice calls, data, and internet-of-things (IoT) services in 2025. These services will rely on a network of hundreds of these direct-to-cell enabled satellites.

Only last week, SpaceX posted on X, formerly Twitter, with the help of a direct-to-cell satellite in space.

**Will Starlink Overtake Fixed Wireless Networks?:** Musk doesn’t expect to overtake fixed wireless networks with Starlink direct-to-cell. In a post reply, he clarified that this system of internet access is effective only when there is no existing cellular service.

“…because this is the current peak speed per beam and the beams are large, so this system is only effective where there is no existing cellular service,” Musk wrote.

> No, because this is the current peak speed per beam and the beams are large, so this system is only effective where there is no existing cellular service.
> 
> This service works in partnership with wireless providers, like what @SpaceX and @TMobile announced.
> 
> — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 2, 2024

In fact, the service is enabled via SpaceX’s partnership with wireless network player **TMobile** in the U.S. The company has also entered into partnerships with other players around the globe including **Rogers** in Canada, **Optus** in Australia, **One NZ** in New Zealand, **KDDI** in Japan, and **Salt** in Switzerland.

_Photo via Shutterstock_

_Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by_ _following this link__._

_**Read More:**_ _Tesla CEO Elon Musk Reveals One Of His Daily Dilemmas: Cybertruck Or Model S?_

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