Limitless: An AI Podcast SpaceX Just Declared War on Your Cell Provider (Verizon, T-Mobile)
Mar 11, 2026
A deep dive into how Starlink Mobile is erasing connectivity dead zones and enabling internet access from space. They cover real-world emergency use during wildfires and the tech behind V2 satellites and spot beams. Discussion includes spectrum buys that let SpaceX act like a carrier, launch and chip timelines, and the potential to upend traditional telecoms and connect billions globally.
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Existing Starlink Direct To Phone Footprint
- Starlink D2S (direct-to-satellite) already supports texts, video calls, and some apps on unmodified phones via 650 satellites.
- It covers 32 countries, 10 million users, and auto-switches phones to satellite when terrestrial service drops.
How Starlink V2 Boosts Bandwidth
- Starlink V2 uses low Earth orbit spot beams and larger phased-array antennas to increase throughput ~20x and data density 100x versus V1.
- V2 satellites sit ~550 km up, enabling lower latency and thousands of beams per satellite.
V2 Speeds And Custom Silicon Strategy
- V2 targets ~150 Mbps per connection—good consumer speeds though below average US fixed broadband.
- SpaceX built custom silicon for satellites, mirroring Apple's vertical control over device chips for performance.