I Tested Video Chats on T-Mobile's Cellular Starlink, and It Was Pretty Mind-Blowing
On a remote beach in Northern California, my Pixel 10 connected to satellites 200 miles overhead, allowing me to make video calls on WhatsApp, post tweets, and even go live on X.
The quality was grainy, and the picture occasionally froze. But for the first time, I was conducting a video call on a smartphone using a satellite flying 200 miles overhead.
Later on, I posted tweets, including pictures, using the same space-based network. I did all of this while technically standing in a cellular dead zone, a remote beach south of San Francisco, with only a lighthouse in sight. But thanks to the orbiting satellites above, my phone was not only connected — I could even live stream on X.
The capability is part of a new, perhaps game-changing upgrade to SpaceX’s cellular Starlink service, which launched through T-Mobile in July. Like other phone-based satellite services, T-Satellite lets you send text messages to friends and family while in a dead zone by connecting to orbiting satellites. But the technology now stands out for supporting satellite data on a small but growing collection of mobile apps.
Google’s Pixel 10 devices were the first phones to receive the capability. So, over the weekend, I installed T-Satellite on a Pixel phone and traveled 50 miles south of the city to the closest dead zone. Check out my adventure in the video below and read on for the full results.
Dead Zone Killer
Powering satellite connectivity isn’t easy; the phone needs to maintain the connection despite low-Earth orbit satellites constantly moving in and out of view. In addition, our handsets aren’t built with large antennas or high-power radiOS, making the link harder to sustain. All that data then needs to be routed through satellites to ground networks below.
But to my surprise, SpaceX’s cellular Starlink satellites were able to send enough data to my Pixel 10 to power a video call on WhatsApp. On my first attempt, I simply used the messaging app as normal, and the call came through.
You'll immediately notice the trade-offs, though. Video quality is fairly low, probably 144p or 240p, and stretches over the phone’s screen. At some points, the video froze, creating a delay in the conversation.
Still, the video call worked and eradicated any sense that I was in a dead zone. I was even able to video call myself using a separate phone connected to Verizon, which still had a signal in the area. I then watched all the calls go through, although a few times there was a brief delay before the call started. While using WhatsApp, I was also able to text and send pictures easily over T-Satellite, with the messages oftentimes appearing instantaneously on the Verizon phone.
The other function that killed any feeling of being in a dead zone was how easily I could load tweets. It sometimes took several seconds for the posts to load. But through the satellite connectivity, the app displayed pictures and videos, albeit at lower quality.
I even went live on X. As you can see, the picture quality is fuzzy, but the connectivity shows how the satellites allow people to live stream in places that otherwise wouldn't support it.
A Question of Endurance
The data support also includes Google Maps, AccuWeather, and some hiking apps. While in a dead zone, I looked up driving directions to a nearby Mexican restaurant. This test was less successful; the app seemed to slow to a crawl every 10 minutes or so, even when I was under clear skies. I could tell the connection was poor because the satellite icon in the right-hand corner of the phone showed no bars. I suspect SpaceX still needs to launch more satellites to improve coverage and signal quality.
When the signal dropped to nothing, I had no choice but to wait for the connection to improve before I could begin using the apps again. That’s why the satellite service might struggle with endurance. How long can you conduct a live stream on X or hold a video call before the satellite signal sputters out?
I tried to host a longer live stream on X, but the app seemed to crash, usually after about a minute. Some of my live videos also failed to fully transfer to X. On WhatsApp, one video call stopped after three minutes, while another terminated after over six minutes. But later, I conducted a 12-minute video call that I ended myself.
I was also curious how T-Satellite performed under trees, which can block the phone from receiving the satellite signal. As expected, you should avoid them when possible. In some cases, the app support still worked, but only for light tasks, like loading tweets or pulling up directions on Google Maps. For heavier tasks, the connection struggled while trying to conduct a video call or load a video clip on X.
The same can be true for inside a car. But while the performance seemed to drop a bit, I could still make video calls, send messages on WhatsApp, and look up directions on Google Maps, although there was some lag in loading the information.
Glimpse of the Future?
Previously, T-Satellite only supported text and image messaging to friends and family, along with location sharing, which might cause some to question whether it’s worth $10 per month. But the newly added app support changes the entire value, especially since it didn't seem my satellite data was ever capped.
The technology blows my mind, considering SpaceX's direct-to-cell Starlink satellites are over 200 miles away, orbiting the giant mass of Earth, but still able to capture a tiny radio signal from my phone, through clouds. In addition, the technology is bound to improve after SpaceX acquired valuable new radio spectrum from EchoStar, with an expected 20-fold boost to the satellite system's throughput, according to the company.
That said, SpaceX will need at least two years before it can harness the EchoStar spectrum, which requires new chipsets in smartphones and the launch of new, next-generation satellites. I also wonder how the service will perform once more consumers start using it.
In the meantime, T-Satellite's app support feature is no longer confined to the Pixel 10. On Monday, T-Mobile announced that iPhone 13 and up can also receive access once they update to iOS 26. This includes support data for several Apple apps, including Compass, Fitness, Maps, Messages, Music, and Weather. Messages support is huge for the US since WhatsApp isn't as popular here.
If you're on a different phone, T-Mobile plans to launch the app support capability for dozens of other models on Oct. 1. Expect the list of supported apps to also expand.
One big question is SpaceX’s plans for cellular Starlink over time. Last week, CEO Elon Musk seemed to entertain the idea of one day releasing his own standalone cellular Starlink service to compete with traditional mobile carriers. Analysts tell PCMag it’s more likely SpaceX will partner with existing carriers. But in either case, T-Satellite is showing the public a preview of what next-generation satellites can offer, potentially making dead zones a thing of the past. Although SpaceX has the lead, rivals including AST SpaceMobile, Skylo, and Apple partner Globalstar are all gearing up to launch their own new or improved satellite services, too.
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