T-Mobile's CEO suggests that direct-to-cell Starlink service will be offered to those on its most expensive plans as a free perk. Others will be able to get it as a paid add-on.

Starlink will only support texting for now, but T-Mobile has said that the service will eventually expand to browsing and voice. The free beta provides users with high-speed internet connectivity in challenging-to-access areas such as rural locations, concerts, and even airplanes.

Starlink support appears to be a secret iOS 18.3 feature for iPhones, some of which now support satellite communication services from SpaceX — but only for users invited to join public beta testing of the service on US carrier T-Mobile. This supplements Apple’s existing satellite services supplier, Globalstar.

T-Mobile partnered with SpaceX last year and launched a beta program for Starlink connectivity last December. However, the company originally only offered the option on Samsung phones. Now, this has been expanded to the iPhone as well.

The latest iOS 18.3 update enables the satellite texting feature offered by T-Mobile through Starlink for select iPhone users.

Apple is reportedly partnering with SpaceX and T-Mobile to integrate Starlink satellite support into iPhone software, according to Bloomberg. The partnership would offer some T-Mobile customers an alternative to Apple's existing satellite communication service,

T-Mobile's cellular Starlink beta program was initially restricted to five Samsung phone models. But the carrier has quietly expanded it to select iPhones running iOS 18.3.

"You can now stay connected with texting via satellite from virtually anywhere," the message reads, according to Bloomberg. And for iPhone users, it asks them to "update to iOS 18.3" to "start experiencing coverage beyond.