"SpaceX's Starlink Unveils Direct-To-Cell Satellites in 2024's Inaugural Launch at Vandenberg"
SpaceX successfully launched 21 Starlink satellites, including six equipped to provide direct connectivity to unmodified smartphones, on January 2, 2024. This marks the beginning of testing for a service that could enable texting, voice, and data connectivity from space, in partnership with various global cellular operators. The company is also addressing concerns about the satellites' brightness and its impact on astronomy, with plans to deploy a total of 840 direct-to-cell satellites in the near future. Competitors AST SpaceMobile and Lynk Global are also advancing in the race to expand direct-to-device satellite services.