T-Mobile (TMUS.US) and Starlink begin large-scale satellite connection tests, planning to commercialize in July.

T-Mobile (TMUS.US) announced on Sunday that the company will be partnering with Elon Musk's Starlink satellite to begin large-scale testing of its satellite-to-mobile phone service. The service is supported by SpaceX's Starlink, and the goal of the American wireless operator is to eliminate mobile dead zones and expand connectivity to remote areas. The trial period will be free until July, after which the plan will be included for free in T-Mobile's premium Go5G Next plan. Once commercially launched this summer, the service can be added to all other plans for a monthly fee of $15. Users participating in the trial will need to pay $10 per month. The company announced in a Super Bowl ad that the service is currently in the testing phase, and users can register online to participate. It is worth noting that users of other operators such as Verizon Communications (VZ.US) and AT&T (T.US) can also try out T-Mobile Starlink service on their existing smartphones that support digital SIM cards. Mike Katz, T-Mobile's Chief Marketing, Strategy, and Product Officer, said that users of the company's most expensive Go5G Next plan will not have to pay extra. Verizon and AT&T users will be charged an additional $20 per month. Initially, the service will only include satellite-supported text messaging in mobile signal dead zones, but the company plans to add voice, picture messaging, and other data services in the future. Last year, T-Mobile and Starlink provided emergency text messaging and alert services in disaster areas regardless of the user's carrier. They later obtained regulatory approval to commercialize this service. Verizon recently received regulatory approval to begin testing a direct-to-phone partnership with AST SpaceMobile for messaging, data, and voice services. Earlier reports suggested that Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) has added support for the Starlink network in its latest iPhone software. Apple Inc. also offers a service with Globalstar where consumers can send messages and contact emergency responders outside of cellphone signal range.