(Photo by Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
SpaceX's cellular Starlink service appears ready to launch in New Zealand.
After completing earlier tests, local carrier One New Zealand plans to kick off direct-to-cell Starlink service next week.
“In collaboration with SpaceX, One NZ will soon be launching direct to cell services to end users in New Zealand. Our current plan is for services to be offered in the week commencing December 16, 2024,” the carrier wrote in a Dec. 7 letter to the US FCC.
The same letter was attached to a Wednesday SpaceX filing, which told the FCC that the company has “obtained all necessary authorizations to initiate communications with devices in New Zealand.” The company made the filing to comply with a November FCC order that cleared SpaceX’s cellular Starlink service for commercial operations in the US and abroad.
SpaceX didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. But Starlink's website has said its goal was to begin offering cellular service starting in 2024. Meanwhile, One NZ told PCMag: “We’re in the final stages of preparing to bring coverage like never before to New Zealand with Starlink Direct To Cell, including getting our paperwork in place for launch. It’s always been our intention to launch our TXT service in 2024 and we’re excited to share more with customers very shortly.”
In an FAQ, One NZ also notes that ground-based cell towers only cover 60% of New Zealand's land mass. Cellular Starlink service will first support text-based messaging before powering voice and data. Satellite-based messaging will be "included in the price of eligible plans," the FAQ adds.
In the US, SpaceX is partnering with T-Mobile on satellite connectivity, which was used to deliver emergency SMS messaging for hurricane victims in October. Despite obtaining FCC approval for full commercial operations, the companies have not announced a specific launch date. “We hope to activate employee beta service in the US soon,” a SpaceX exec tweeted last month.
In its letter to the FCC, One NZ said it’s been eager to deploy the cellular Starlink service to help it reach consumers in mobile dead zones. “Much of New Zealand is sparsely populated and not well able to be served through existing network technologies. We believe that our collaboration with SpaceX will deliver substantial benefits in this respect, enabling us to deliver coverage in areas that don't have it today and provide greater resilience and connectivity options for our communities.”
Other carriers in Canada, Australia, and Japan, among others, are also partnering with SpaceX on the direct-to-cell service.