Recently, Musk's SpaceX took the lead in launching a primary version of the 'Starlink direct-to-smartphone' satellite messaging service in New Zealand.
On December 19, 2024, One NZ, the largest 5G cellular network operator of New Zealand, announced that it would officially launch the 'One NZ Satellite TXT' primary service throughout New Zealand. This makes the country the first in the world to achieve Direct to Cell (DTC) coverage of satellite cellular network.
The service covers 40% of the land that is not covered by the traditional mobile network in the country, and the sea area within about 20 kilometers.
The service of 'One NZ Satellite TXT', the largest telecom operator in New Zealand, is provided free of charge to users of existing monthly paid plans, but currently only four mobile phones are compatible with it: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and OPPO Find X8 Pro.
Tests have shown that in the primary service stage, most SMS messages will be sent or received within 3 minutes. But sometimes it may take 10 minutes or more. As the service matures and more satellites are launched, it is expected that Starlink DTC SMS sending and receiving will drop to an average of about one minute.
According to information updated by One NZ a day later, 10% of qualified package customers have accessed the Starlink DTC network and sent more than 20,000 short messages through space.
One NZ said that by the end of 2025, hundreds of thousands of customers are expected to be able to use One NZ Satellite TXT service. The company also said that although the One NZ Satellite TXT service provides additional protection for the traditional communication network in New Zealand, it cannot replace the existing emergency tools.
SpaceX has launched more than 300 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO), with payloads capable of connecting to standard smartphones using cellular spectrum from partner telcos.
SpaceX currently operates more than 6,800 satellites in low Earth orbit, making it the largest satellite constellation in the world to date.
