Blocking Starlink access in iOS 18.3

No, iOS 18.3 Will NOT give Starlink access to your devices. If you CHOOSE to connect to it you can but you will never be forced to. In addition please understand that you cannot connect to ANY satellite service unless you are in an area that does not have a cellular signal and it’s ONLY for emergency calls to first responders. So consider this. You and your family run off the road in a an area that has no cell signal and you cannot call for help. Would you possibly sacrifice your family’s life because you don't want to connect to Starlink because of who owns it?

xrayman394 wrote:

Thanks!

I strongly suggest NOT updating to 18.3 until we know more, we must try and learn more about this before upgrading.

Direct-to-satellite SpaceX Starlink is a T-Mobile (beta) feature, and the iOS 18.3 updates allows iPhone to be added to the current T-Mobile formerly-Android-only direct-to-satellite beta.

If you don’t want Starlink service, discuss that with your carrier.

The existing satellite service provided by Apple uses Globalstar.

Connect to a satellite with your iPhone - Apple Support

Lawrence Finch wrote:

xrayman394 wrote:

Thanks!

I strongly suggest NOT updating to 18.3 until we know more, we must try and learn more about this before upgrading.

Well. I strongly suggest that you DO update to 18.3 immediately. You are at much greater risk from the existential 28 security vulnerabilities that 18.3 blocks than you are from a hypothetical risk from a feature that most iPhone can’t even have, and that is off by default on those few iPhones that are eligible.

In fact I have just read that the number is 29 security vulnerabilities!

jagaird233 wrote:

I don't want my iPhone connected to Musk and anything he is connected to. Will not update. Apple better realign it's priorities.

Since you're not on iOS 18.3, you can't be in the T-Mobile Direct-to-Satellite / Direct-to-Cell beta, which means you're not using SpaceX Starlink.

f you are using iOS 18.3 and are not in the T-Mobile beta, you're not using SpaceX Starlink.

If you are using iOS 18.3 and joined the T-Mobile beta, follow the instructions for exiting the T-Mobile beta.

If you are a T-Mobile customer, discuss your preferences around not using SpaceX Starlink with them.

iOS 18.3 adds the ability to join the T-Mobile beta, something which was previously only open to Android phones.

I'd also suggest reading the previous replies here, but then this repetitive thread is repetitive.

Starlink has partnered with a small group of select cellular carriers worldwide. Here’s the list,

T-Mobile — USA

KDDI — Japan

OPTUS — Australia

One BZ — New Zealand

Salt — Switzerland

Entel — Chile and Peru

Rodgers — Canada

Now what country are you in and who’s your carrier? If it’s not one of the above then you wont be able to connect to Starlink and Starlink can’t connect to your iPhone. The vast majority of the major carriers have already partnered with other satellite services. AT&T and Verizon have partnered with other services. On the odd chance you are subscribing to one of the above carriers, switch carriers.

Bex1981 — You haven’t read enough to make an informed assessment. Starlink has partnered with a small group of select cellular carriers worldwide. Here’s the list, 

T-Mobile — USA

KDDI — Japan

OPTUS — Australia 

One BZ — New Zealand 

Salt — Switzerland 

Entel — Chile and Peru

Rodgers — Canada

In addition, the band Starlink is using for the service is N51. In the US only T-Mobile and Google Fi use that band.

Now what country are you in and who’s your carrier? If it’s not one of the above then you wont be able to connect to Starlink and Starlink can’t connect to your iPhone.

The vast majority of the major carriers have already partnered with other satellite services. AT&T and Verizon have partnered with other services. On the odd chance you are subscribing to one of the above carriers, switch carriers.

MikeMancini wrote:

Given that privacy is deeply associated with the Apple brand, has Apple itself made a clear statement about how it may intend to prevent Starlink from breaching data in situations where at least some data travels across Starlink technology?

You're looking for information from the wrong source. Apple isn't partnered with Starlink. T-Mobile is. If you're not a customer of T-Mobile, nor signed in to the current Beta testing program, there is no way, your data could be breached at all. You simply won't have any path to Starlink on your phone. And has already been posted multiple times in this thread, Apple doesn't use Starlink for Satellite communications. They use GlobalStar, of which Apple owns 20%.

Just stop. Every internet connection has a modem in between, a cable modem, a telephone modem, a cell modem. All of a sudden, you don’t think Elon is a brilliant guy, and now the fact that three years ago when you liked him, T-Mobile and him collaborated to set a certain hardware standard for cellular modems so they could pick up satellite signals, Which you are definitely Not paying the service for even if Apple iPhones support it, if you want it, you have to go to T-Mobile to pay for it, and since T-Mobile isn’t selling it to anyone but T-Mobile customers right now I really don’t think you have to worry about your day to day data switching to A paid service that currently only T-Mobile has and future companies may provide the service at an even higher price, and if your service provides it, then Apple will give you a way to turn it off, but there’s no activating it unless you have T-Mobile, stop freaking out about someone who decided to give Internet to the entire planet and a cell company that help them do it.

Zachyy wrote:

Lawrence Finch wrote:

xrayman394 wrote:

Thanks!

I strongly suggest NOT updating to 18.3 until we know more, we must try and learn more about this before upgrading.

Well. I strongly suggest that you DO update to 18.3 immediately. You are at much greater risk from the existential 28 security vulnerabilities that 18.3 blocks than you are from a hypothetical risk from a feature that most iPhone can’t even have, and that is off by default on those few iPhones that are eligible.

In fact I have just read that the number is 29 security vulnerabilities!

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2025/01/29/ios-183-update-now-warning-issued-to-all-iphone-users/

I must have miscounted.

Jeff Donald wrote:

Starlink has partnered with a small group of select cellular carriers worldwide. Here’s the list,

T-Mobile — USA

KDDI — Japan

OPTUS — Australia

One BZ — New Zealand

Salt — Switzerland

Entel — Chili and Peru

Rodgers — Canada

Now what country are you in and who’s your carrier? If it’s not one of the above then what is your point?

Nothing is affecting you or your iPhone. The vast majority of the major carriers have already partnered with other satellite services. Stop being so morally outraged over something that doesn’t affect you.

On the odd chance you are subscribing to one of the above, switch carriers and move on with your life.

Thanks for the list of carriers who have partnered with Starlink. Very helpful. Too bad people will still believe it is Apple who has partnered with them, no matter what is explained.

Smh222 wrote:

I don’t want starlink on my phone so I blocked all updates until there’s an option to not have it.

Why? Starlink is not put on your phone. If you use T-Mobile (and only T-Mobile), and you opt in to the satellite beta test, then your device will be able to use the T-Mobile satellite partner. If you are not on T-Mobile, this does not affect you at all. If you are on T-Mobile and not part of the beta, this does not affect you at all.

Bluexeyes1025 wrote:

I find this to be very misleading. It’s T-Mobile and Apple, working together. Apple announced with the most recent iPhone that they would be bringing a satellite feature to their iPhones “in future updates”. T-Mobile has partnered with Apple to beta test the carrier provided option. Apple has already implemented sat access for iphone 14 and later phones. Currently Apple’s sat option is powered by Globalstar. But there is a whole section dedicated to “carrier provided satellite features” on apple support. It makes the most since that Verizon and T-Mobile would follow suit and offer the Sat option, and Starlink is a major powerhouse in that field. But, if Verizon and AT&T see that there’s a major pushback, there is a chance they may not partner with Starlink to avoid alienating customers. There is also a chance that T-Mobile may decide to roll back the feature if enough people refuse it. Based upon what I found in Apple Support though, its very likely Starlink will partner with carriers across the board. And Apple is responsible for allowing T-mobile to partner with Starlink, because they have allowed the software to be implemented on the phone. This isnt an app people download with permissions, although I wish it was. I don’t believe that we can say with any certainty that this isn’t going to happen with other carriers.

There really isn't anything misleading going on here. ALL Apple did was permit T-Mobile to use the N51 band for its customers, which is the ONLY band which communicates with Starlink. And while you may think it makes sense that Verizon and AT&T will follow suit, that is pure conjecture on your part. And why would they, when they have invested millions in other Satellite Services? Both AT&T and Verizon have partnered with AST SpaceMobile. Both carriers have invested $Millions of dollars in their services.

For all of these services they are opt-in services. T-Mobile has said the service will be free for 2 years, then there will be a fee to use them. Everyone will have the choice whether to use the Satellite service or not. No one is being to forced to use anything. While I'm not a T-Mobile customer and even though I am not a fan of Mr. Musk, I can assure you that if my life or the life of someone else depended on me being able to communicate through a satellite to be saved, I would without hesitation use it.

Kelp1973 wrote:

I’m holding on updating. If I have to go android for the first time ever, I will. Apple MUST make this optional.

ummm, It is already a feature on Android.

And it is optional on iPhone. It will have an on/off switch (when and if it’s released, and only if your carrier is T-Mobile; no other carriers will support it; they have their own partner satellite providers).

Smophia wrote:

This is honestly so upsetting that I intend to switch all of my devices to PC and Android

Smart move. You clearly didn't read the thread, because if you had, you'd already know Android has had Starlink through T-Mobile for some time. Not sure what you'd be accomplishing, but if you want to buy an Android, we honestly don't care. Only Cell phones will connect to Starlink and then ONLY those if you have T-Mobile and have Opted-in to Starlink through T-Mobile. Computers/PCs/Laptops don't have cellular radios, so they can't connect to Satellites. But you be you and buy what you want.

M8lues wrote:

Well I guess it's time to buy a new phone and pc. I 'm done with apple.

What are you going to buy? Android had support for StarLink before iPhone did.

And if you read the thread that you posted to on page 15 you would learn that Apple does not support StarLink; only T-Mobile does.

StarLink is not a feature of your phone. It is a feature offered for beta testing by T-Mobile in the US. 

• If you don’t have T-Mobile you don’t have it on your iPhone. 
• If you do have T-Mobile and you don’t sign up for the beta test you don’t have it on your phone. 
• And, if it ever goes live and you have T-Mobile, you STILL won’t have it on your phone unless you turn it on, as it is a feature of the carrier, not of the iPhone; sort of like switching between LTE and 5G, except there will be an option to turn on Satellite in addition to LTE and 5G, and you don’t have to turn it on.
• The above information applies to Android phones, where T-Mobile is also beta testing StarLink.

The satellite emergency service on iPhone 14 and later does NOT use StarLink; it uses a different satellite service.

If you have T-Mobile AND decide to join the beta test or if the StarLink ever goes live for T-Mobile there will be a switch in Settings/Cellular/T-Mobile/Satellite where you can turn it on or off.