T-Mobile and Starlink Direct to Cell: Price, Availability

T-Mobile and Starlink have officially launched their long-awaited service, T-Satellite. It’s now available for T-Mobile users and customers of rival carriers as well. The two companies partnered to eliminate dead spots by enabling customers to access the network via satellite. It currently supports text messaging and location sharing, but additional features, such as voice and data, will be available at a later date.

Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell satellites are designed to act like orbiting cell towers, connecting to phones on the ground as long as there’s a clear view of the sky. It’s not a standalone carrier but is meant to supplement the networks it partners with. It’s an excellent tool for serious backpackers, mountaineers, first responders, and others who spend a lot of time outside of cell range. 

T-Mobile invited customers to try the service for free in a beta test that lasted several months. Now, with its official launch, the service will require a fee if it’s not included in the user’s mobile plan.

T-Satellite is included for T-Mobile customers on the Go5G Next and Experience Beyond plans. For other customers, it will be an add-on feature that costs $10 per month. This also includes customers on rival carriers such as Verizon and AT&T. They just need to have a compatible phone with an open eSIM slot. However, the $10 price is a limited-time launch deal and will soon increase to $15 per month.

If you’re on Go5G Next or Experience Beyond, then there’s nothing to do but enjoy T-Satellite since it’s automatically included. For customers on other T-Mobile plans, you can enable T-Satellite from your account in the “Manage Add-ons” page, and it will be added to your monthly plan. It can also be canceled at any time on the same page, making it a convenient feature if you need it temporarily for a long weekend adventure. 

In a surprising move, customers of non-T-Mobile carriers can use the service, provided they have a compatible phone with an open eSIM slot and that it’s unlocked. To get started, you will need to call T-Mobile at 1-855-596-0755 or visit a retail store.

An unlocked phone means you can use the device with any carrier. Typically, phones bought directly from a carrier start locked, to keep them exclusive to their network. After a specified amount of time, you can request that the carrier unlock the phone. The exclusivity time depends on the carrier. 

When T-Satellite is activated on your account, it will automatically connect to the Starlink network when you find yourself outside your network. Currently, there is no way to switch to satellite coverage manually when network availability is present, likely to conserve bandwidth for users who really need it.  

When you leave your network’s coverage, you’ll receive a text notification informing you that you’re connected to Starlink. You’ll know you’re on satellite when you see the satellite symbol next to your network strength on the top right corner of the screen. 

T-Satellite is more than just a way to stay in contact with loved ones; it could be a vital lifeline in emergencies, such as providing hikers with the ability to contact 911 if they are injured or lost. 

Initially, only texting and location sharing are available. Users with Google Messages can also send images and brief voice messages. 

The service plans to add voice and data capabilities in late 2025. There is less information about this stage, but the idea is that users won’t need to activate it—their phones will just work as usual, recognizing Starlink satellites like cell towers. However, the performance might not be quite as good as that of LTE in areas covered by traditional cell towers. 

Starlink Direct to Cell is said to work with most modern phones that have LTE connectivity, regardless of manufacturer or brand—although only a handful of phones are currently compatible. Most of the latest Motorola, Samsung, and iPhone models are compatible.

T-Satellite compatibility is currently limited to this list. However, Starlink and T-Mobile claim that older phone models are capable of using the service and that they’re working with phone manufacturers to optimize them for satellite connectivity.

As of July 23, 2025, Starlink has launched more than 650 DTC satellites, sufficient to provide text services anywhere the customer is. However, Starlink is continually expanding its constellation to provide increased coverage and bandwidth. 

T-Mobile promises to open up data capabilities, beginning with a few select apps on October 1. These apps are communication and navigation-based, and include:

• Google Maps
• Apple Maps
• AllTrails
• Accuweather
• X
• Starlink
• WhatsApp

Another upcoming feature is the ability to connect with Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Starlink highlights business use cases, such as connecting devices and machines for agricultural, transportation, and maritime applications where no terrestrial signal is available.

T-Mobile will exclusively have Direct to Cell features for one year after partnering with Starlink. So, while the service will likely work with most phones, you’ll need to be a T-Mobile customer. It’s unknown if MVNO carriers like Mint Mobile, which uses T-Mobile’s network, will have access to Direct to Cell. 

Starlink also has a growing list of international partner carriers, including Rogers in Canada, KDDI in Japan, Optus in Australia, and many more. 

After T-Mobile’s exclusivity window, Starlink could partner with other U.S. carriers like Verizon or AT&T. Still, it’s unknown if that’s likely to happen due to those carriers’ partnership with rival satellite company AST SpaceMobile.

It remains to be seen whether Starlink will ever spin off this functionality into its own mobile phone service, separate from other carriers. This could be possible, but Starlink is currently committed to its partnerships with T-Mobile and international carriers. A Starlink phone could someday become a reality, but it is unlikely to be available for a long time.

Starlink's satellite internet coverage extends worldwide, so there are few places you won't be able to access it with the Standard kit, which is widely available in the U.S. Starlink kits are $349. Residential service is $120 per month. With this equipment, you can connect your phone to the internet via Wi-Fi, regardless of your location.

Additionally, as long as you have a reliable, mobile power source, you can take Starlink with you on your travels with its Roam plans.