The space race for your phone

T-Mobile has teamed up with Starlink to eliminate mobile dead spots in the US. Barry Collins investigates whether it could take off in the UK, too

If you're on the T-Mobile network in America, mobile not spots could soon become a thing of the past. Well, as long as you're outdoors, that is.

T-Mobile's tentative deal with SpaceX's Starlink service has won approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), meaning that the vast swathes of the US landscape without any mobile signal will soon be serviced by Starlink's satellites. And you probably won't need a new phone to benefit, either.

The concept of improving mobile connectivity from space isn't restricted to large countries such as the US, which has huge holes in its coverage. In the UK, Ofcom is considering whether to permit similar services, even though 90% of the UK landmass is already receiving "good quality data and voice coverage", according to the regulator.

But before we start celebrating the end of "no signal" nightmares, let's explore the challenges that face delivering mobile signals from space.

Those familiar with Starlink's current service might be wondering how it's even possible for your everyday smartphone to connect to the company's fleet of satellites, given that you currently need a dish to access the service.

It's possible because the FCC has granted partial approval to operate 7,500 Gen2 Starlink satellites at altitudes of 340-360km, which will crucially send and receive signals in the 1,900MHz band. These frequencies are typically reserved for terrestrial cell phone services, and indeed Starlink is using a chunk of spectrum that is currently allocated to T-Mobile. Your common or garden smartphone is already compatible with that frequency range, meaning that where cell tower coverage isn't available, it can pick up a signal from the satellites.