Tbps = Terabytes per second = 1000 Gigabytes per second.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b328af732.jpeg

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Italy Plans $1.6 Billion SpaceX Telecom Security Services Deal

Italy is in advanced talks with Elon Musk’s SpaceX for a deal to provide secure telecommunications for the nation’s government — the largest such project in Europe, people with knowledge of the matter said Sunday - Bloomberg

"secure" an odd thing to highlight. Resilient? Yes. Deployable? Yes. Secure.... Can do that across any datalink.

Starlink Simulators spotted inside Starfactory! 10 in total visible that are possibly the 10 to be loaded into Starship 33's PEZ Dispenser for Starship test flight 7. Very cool!

Starlink direct from satellite to cell phone Internet connection starts beta test in 3 days.

​​​​​​​STARLINK’S NEXT BIG THING: CELL SERVICE FROM SPACE

SpaceX is testing a game-changing Starlink upgrade: Direct-to-Cell satellites that connect mobile phones to cellular service anywhere on Earth—even in the middle of nowhere.

These satellites act as “cell towers in space,” letting you text, call, or browse without needing a signal from ground towers. No new phone or hardware required!

The beta starts Jan. 27 and aims to eliminate dead zones worldwide, making it possible to call for help, no matter where you are.

Source: NASASpaceFlight

SPACEX TAKES ON BIG WIRELESS IN FIGHT FOR FCC SPECTRUM

SpaceX is pushing back against Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile as the FCC prepares to review the future of the upper C-band spectrum.

While Big Wireless wants exclusive control for 5G, SpaceX is demanding a shared model that includes satellite operators - paving the way for next-gen 6G connectivity.

SpaceX warns that handing over the spectrum to telecom giants would stifle innovation and limit U.S leadership in space-based communication.

Instead, Elon's vision calls for a seamless integration of satellite and terrestrial networks, breaking the monopoly of legacy carriers.

With @BrendanCarrFCC as the new Chairman of the FCC, the monopoly of Big Wireless may soon be over.

Source: https://spacenews.com/fcc-sets-stage...band-showdown/

That's going to be a big fight....

Meanwhile, T-Mobile ad…..

Huge, huge SpaceX transaction.

SpaceX is buying EchoStar’s AWS-4, H-block, MSS spectrum licenses for: - $17B ($8.5B cash + $8.5B stock at $400B valuation) - $2B of interest payment help.

The spectrum is super important for Starlink DTC as it reduces reliance on mobile carriers.

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Wow. That's a big chunk of cash and will make some mobile operators very worried indeed. Anyone had any experience of Sat based mobile broadband? My only taste was nibbling 20 years ago when we had a dish up and latency measured in calendar months :)

Excellent analysis of the SpaceX spectrum deal from @TMFAssociates, who knows a lot more about this stuff than I do.

In short, SpaceX appears to be trying to force Apple's hand.

https://tinyurl.com/ys26s36v

SPACEX NEWS: Today in Paris at the World Space Business Week, SpaceX President & COO Gwynne Shotwell stated the company plans to begin testing Direct-to-Cell (DTC) services using its newly acquired $17 billion S-band spectrum from EchoStar, and will conduct phone tests by late 2026. They also aim to launch their next-gen Starlink DTC satellites in two years.

The project requires new satellite payloads, collaborations with chip manufacturers for phone integration, and agreements with mobile network operators to wholesale capacity globally.

"This is the start, by the way, of a huge amount of work. We’re working with chip manufacturers to get the proper chips in phones."

Gwynne highlighted Starship's progress, via Flight 10 and V3's first launch is targeted for late 2025 or early 2026. V3 will enable propellant transfer in low Earth orbit. She also expressed confidence in docking based on Dragon experience.

On Flight 10, "My Starship team needed that win... I was really pleased. They did a great job. We met every mission objective that we wanted to."

https://uk.pcmag.com/networking/1601...-carrier-plans

SpaceX Eyes 15,000 More Satellites for Cellular Starlink, Hints at Carrier Plans

SpaceX wants to launch as many as 15,000 next-generation satellites to upgrade its cellular Starlink service for phones.

On Friday, the company filed a request with the FCC for the additional satellites, which will harness the radio spectrum SpaceX is acquiring from Boost Mobile's parent, EchoStar, in a $17 billion deal. "This new system of up to 15,000 satellites will provide ubiquitous connectivity to ordinary mobile handsets and a range of other devices and user terminals,” the company wrote.

The filing offers some additional details about SpaceX’s effort to upgrade its cellular Starlink system through the EchoStar deal. The system currently spans over 650 "direct-to-cell" Starlink satellites, which can beam connectivity to phones in cellular dead zones.

It currently supports satellite-powered text messaging and even video calls over WhatsApp. But with the EchoStar spectrum, SpaceX says it can deliver a 20-fold increase in throughput to the user for performance comparable to 4G LTE.

In the filing, SpaceX says the satellite system “will consist of a constellation of low and very low Earth orbit satellites that will leverage SpaceX’s existing ground equipment as well as add new equipment that aims to optimize performance for consumers.”

In November, the FCC cleared SpaceX to orbit some Starlink satellites as low as 340 kilometers in orbit, so long as the company coordinates with NASA. The company’s new application ]requests to orbit the next-generation cellular Starlink satellites ever closer to Earth, from between 326 kilometers to 335km, which would likely help reduce their latency when connecting to phones below.

The satellites will harness the EchoStar spectrum and partner T-Mobile’s 1.91 to 1.995GHz bands for US operations and a wide range of bands for international markets......

Musk has also said his company will need at least two years before smartphone chipsets support the EchoStar radio frequencies. This week, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell added that the company has started working on bringing the needed chipsets to the latest phones. But requiring FCC approval for the proposed constellation for the cellular Starlink service will also take time.

The proposal for the 15,000 satellite system arrives a year after SpaceX made an earlier FCC request to operate up to 29,988 satellites for home broadband-focused Starlink service with the goal of delivering gigabit speeds.

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With this and all the new launch providers in the game, I'd be amazed if we don't trigger the Kessler Syndrome sometime in the next few years :bored:
The "As far as we know, no coordination or deconfliction with existing satellites operating in space was performed" quote from SpaceX in this incident was a tad concerning

Starlink Mobile’s next-gen satellites will deliver 5G speeds from space with 100x the data density of the current V1 generation satellites.

V2 satellites will seamlessly enable streaming, internet browsing, high-speed apps and voice calls, just like being connected to a terrestrial network →

https://starlink.com/business/mobile

https://www.l3harris.com/all-capabil...​​

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