Tootfinder

Direct-to-Cell: A First Look into Starlink's Direct Satellite-to-Device Radio Access Network through Crowdsourced Measurements
Jorge Garcia-Cabeza, Javier Albert-Smet, Zoraida Frias, Luis Mendo, Santiago Andr\'es Azcoitia, Eduardo Yraola
https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.00283

Direct-to-Cell: A First Look into Starlink's Direct Satellite-to-Device Radio Access Network through Crowdsourced Measurements
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite mega-constellations have recently emerged as a viable access solution for broadband services in underserved areas. In 2024, Direct Satellite-to-Device (DS2D) communications, which enable unmodified smartphones to connect directly to spaceborne base stations, entered large-scale beta testing, with Starlink globally leading deployments. This paper presents the first measurement study of commercial DS2D services. Using crowdsourced mobile network data collected in t…