Overview of satellite innovations: Starlink V3, T-Satellite, 5G for iPhone

Recently, several important news stories have appeared in the field of technology, showing how rapidly satellite communications are developing and what changes await users in the near future.

SpaceX introduced a new generation of Starlink V3 satellites, interest, particularly from AT&T customers, is growing in T-Mobile's T-Satellite service, and Apple is preparing the iPhone to support satellite 5G.

SpaceX introduced a new generation of Starlink V3 satellites

SpaceX has unveiled a new generation of Starlink V3 satellites that will take satellite internet to the next level. The updated satellites are capable of transmitting data at a speed of 1 Tbit/s and receiving up to 200 Gbit/s, which is 20 times faster than the previous V2 Mini models. Thanks to this, the Starlink network will be able to provide hybrid connectivity even in the most remote corners of the planet, and its total bandwidth will reach 60 Tbit/s.

Compared to the Starlink V2 Mini and V1, the new satellites have a greater mass, reaching up to 2 tons, as well as an improved architecture. They will be launched by the Starship rocket, which will replace the Falcon 9 and will allow the launch of up to 60 satellites at a time. This is 20 times the capacity added by previous missions.

The first Starlink V3 launch is scheduled for early 2026.

This upgrade will provide wider coverage, lower signal latency, and, importantly, more stable operation even during peak hours.

According to information, to fully utilize the potential of the new satellites, users will likely need to upgrade their equipment.

Starlink increases the limits of mobility to 400 km/h

Starlink has officially expanded the boundaries of mobility: now the system supports a stable connection even when moving up to 400 km/h. For comparison, until recently, the “working maximum” speed was considered to be 160 km/h.

“Starting November 7, 2025, we will reduce the maximum supported operating speed for all Roaming, Local Priority, and Global Priority service plans from 550 mph (471 knots) to 450 mph (391 knots),” the company said in a statement.

In particular, as BGR reports, Starlink showed a truly impressive result at sea – during tests on the Star of the Seas cruise ship, the speed reached 10 Gbps.

This record was made possible by the installation of a special satellite gateway costing more than $1.25 million, which provides a stable signal throughout the ship. For comparison, at this speed, an HD movie can be downloaded in just four seconds, and a 256 GB archive in less than four minutes.

T-Mobile's T-Satellite is gaining popularity

According to Ookla , as of September 2025, T-Mobile US users had the largest share of Starlink Direct-to-Device (D2D) satellite connections at 60.9%. AT&T customers were in second place with a 34% share.

T-Satellite, launched by T-Mobile in partnership with SpaceX in July 2025, allows texting without terrestrial coverage. Starlink currently uses about 650 D2D satellites, with a total network of over 10,000 devices and over 7 million customers worldwide.

According to Ookla Speedtest data collected throughout 2025, there is growing interest in T-Satellite.

Median Starlink fixed internet speeds remained stable during the testing and launch of the T-Satellite service, which may be explained by the fact that the satellites that provide smartphone connectivity operate separately from those that provide fixed internet.

As of September 2025, T-Mobile subscribers remained the largest group of users connecting to SpaceX D2D satellites.

In the future, SpaceX plans to expand its D2D service to data speeds comparable to 4G LTE networks through a $17 billion spectrum acquisition from EchoStar.

Apple and Starlink: the prospects of satellite 5G on the iPhone

In 2026, Apple plans to add 5G support to the new iPhone line, which will open up access to the network without terrestrial infrastructure. In particular, this is stated in the official report of The Information. Currently, Apple is cooperating with the American company Globalstar, which specializes in satellite communications. In particular, it is thanks to this cooperation that iPhone users can send emergency messages even where there is no cellular network or Wi-Fi coverage. However, Apple may in the future use SpaceX's Starlink, which already provides high-speed satellite Internet via portable antennas. For example, currently users in the US can connect an iPhone to Starlink for $ 50 per month for 50 GB or $ 165 for unlimited traffic.

The report also hints at a possible resumption of cooperation between Apple and SpaceX, despite their long-standing feud. For example, SpaceX has added support for the radio frequencies that Apple uses for the iPhone’s satellite features. Globalstar executives have also discussed a possible sale of the company for more than $10 billion. And Globalstar’s financial report warns that the loss of a major customer, likely Apple, could have a significant impact on the company. At the same time, Apple plans to introduce full satellite 5G to the iPhone as early as next year.

Conclusions from Adaptis

The development of satellite communications is constantly reaching new levels: Starlink V3 and T-Satellite demonstrate growing demand and new technological capabilities. This means that users will receive faster, more stable and affordable Internet anywhere, anytime.

This is not just technology – it is a new level of network access that connects the sky, land, and sea into a single system.

At the same time, the news about the increase in Starlink speeds could indicate that the company is planning to expand its lineup of tariff plans and make its services more flexible. This is a logical continuation of the company's previous steps to expand the use of technology in the field of air transport, which we mentioned in a previous digest.

Adaptis follows trends and we are ready to help our clients implement modern satellite solutions so that they can use new technologies as effectively as possible.