The Starlink Myth
The fact is Apple did NOT, I repeat, DID NOT partner with Starlink.
MYTH #1: You read Apple partnered with Starlink. Did they? No, 1000 times NO, Apple did NOT partner with Starlink.
MYTH #2: You believe iOS 18.3 installed Starlink on your iPhone. Did it? NO, 1000 times NO, iOS 18.3 did NOT install Starlink on your iPhone.
MYTH #3: Moving to Android will solve this issue for you. Will it? NO, 1000 times NO, Android has had the ability for connected Carriers to access Starlink for a while now. Moving to an Android Phone WON'T do anything for you.
So who is Partnered with Starlink? (Credit: Jeff Donald for this list):
· T-Mobile (United States)
· KDDI (Japan)
· OPTUS (Australia)
· One BZ (New Zealand)
· Salt (Switzerland)
· Entel (Chile, Peru)
· Rogers (Canada)
The fact is Apple did NOT, I repeat, DID NOT partner with Starlink. T-Mobile has (or outside the US, the carriers listed above have).
And through CARRIER partnerships with Starlink, Apple opened the Band operating at 1910-1915 MHz and 1900-1995 MHz, which is required to connect to Starlink. That is NOT an Apple Partnership. That is merely providing the ability for those who want to use Starlink THROUGH T-Mobile or other carriers who are partnered with Starlink the ability to do so.
In order to access Starlink, you must be a T-Mobile Customer or your carrier has partnered with Starlink and you must opt-in to the Beta Starlink Program. In the US T-Mobile is offering non-T-Mobile customers the opportunity to Opt-In through any Carrier. Even that requires you to sign up through T-Mobile, which you can do here: T-Mobile Starlink Satellite Phone Service: A New Era in Connectivity.
Note: The service will be free until July at which point you will need to pay T-Mobile $20/month if you want to continue using the service. But again, this has NOTHING to do with Apple.
Apple has its own Satellite Partner, as do Verizon and AT&T, none of which are connected in any way with Starlink. Apple uses Globalstar and they have a significant investment in them.
The mass hysteria surrounding this and the belief Apple has compromised your phone or your data by partnering with Starlink is utterly, totally, completely wrong. If you don’t want to have a connection to Starlink, don’t have one. The only way you can have one is to Opt-In to begin with.
