Farmers are among Telstra customers able to use Australia’s first satellite-to-mobile text messaging service as the telco began rolling out its collaboration with SpaceX on June 3.
Samsung Galaxy S25 series users will be able to connect to Starlink direct-to-cell satellites, allowing them to send texts from outdoor locations beyond the Telstra mobile network.
Other devices, including Apple iPhones, will be enabled in coming weeks or months, while satellite voice and low-speed data may come online sometime after 2027.
The technology will particularly benefit regional Australians, Telstra executive Channa Seneviratne said.
Engineers have been testing the technology, going to far-flung places across Australia to check whether they can send texts, GPS coordinates and emojis via satellite.
Telstra has faced backlash from regional Australians in recent months after the closure of the 3G network in October left some in rural areas with patchy coverage.
The Regional Telecommunications Review also heard of unreliable mobile coverage in country areas, including in emergencies and after natural disasters.
Major telcos have long maintained improved satellite technology could bridge some of those gaps, with Starlink broadband connecting rural Australians for years.
The new service would not connect users directly to triple zero, but may help people get in touch with family or friends during an emergency.
– with AAP.
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