Elon Musk says Tesla cars will connect to Starlink’s new cellular-broadcasting satellites

Photo by Loren Grush / The Verge

The upcoming second-generation Starlink internet satellites will include cellular antennas for connections with phones from T-Mobile in the US, and possibly other operators as well, according to the announcement by Musk.

He asked if the connections would work with the electric cars that are currently connected to AT&T's network. The answer is yes according to Musk.

Yes

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 26, 2022

He didn't go into detail about how it will work or how much data owners will be able to get from the connections when they're out of reach by a cellphone tower. During the event, Musk said that Starlink will be able to provide a 2 - 4 Mbps link, which is shared by everyone in the coverage area. Live-streaming video from your car's cameras won't be enough for some premium features. It's better if you have a view of the sky than if you don't.

LightShed Partners analyst Walter Piecyk said in a comment to The Verge that Musk could change the carrier deal away from AT&T in the future if he wanted to.

The packages that come standard with electric vehicles have been scaled back over time. The cars that were purchased before the end of June of this year include Premium Connectivity at no extra cost, while the cars that were purchased before the end of July of this year include the standard package. The connections are only available for the lifetime of the vehicle. If you want to add the Premium Connectivity subscription to a car that doesn't have it, you have to pay a fee.

The recent shutdown of AT&T's 3G network showed how it can be done, as older vehicles built prior to mid 2015 may have required a $200 upgrade to stay connected.

For new or used electric cars purchased today fromTesla, they will have Standard Connectivity for the remainder of the eight years from the first day your vehicle was delivered as new, or the first day it is put into service.

Update August 25th at 11PM: added more information about the package.