KDDI is providing this service with Starlink and can increase Japan’s land protection to almost 100%
In short – why this issues
– KDDI launches Japan’s first direct-to-cell satellite tv for pc service, enabling SMS, location sharing, and emergency alerts through Starlink, with no app or {hardware} required — a important step for catastrophe resilience and distant connectivity.
– The service expands Japan’s land protection from 60% to almost 100%, overcoming the boundaries of mountainous terrain and islands — delivering connectivity to underserved areas with over 50 supported smartphone fashions.
– AI integration permits Android customers to textual content Google’s Gemini assistant through satellite tv for pc.
Japanese operator KDDI Company and Okinawa Mobile have launched a service dubbed au Starlink Direct, which claims to be Japan’s first direct-to-cell satellite tv for pc communication service.
In a launch, KDDI famous that its au prospects can use their current smartphones to ship and obtain messages through Starlink satellites — enabling connectivity even in essentially the most distant elements of Japan.
The service, developed in collaboration with SpaceX, permits direct communication between smartphones and low-Earth orbit satellites, providing a significant hyperlink even in mountainous areas, small islands and offshore places. No app or extra {hardware} is required, and the service is freed from cost for now to au customers, with no sign-up required, the Japanese telco stated.
Though KDDI’s cellular community already reaches 99.9% of the Japanese inhabitants, the nation’s rugged topography has traditionally restricted land protection to about 60%. au Starlink Direct is now extending entry to the remaining 40%, the service stated.
The service presently helps over 50 smartphone fashions, together with Android and iPhones with satellite tv for pc capabilities.
Customers can ship SMS, RCS or iMessage texts, share their present location, and obtain earthquake early warnings, tsunami alerts, and J-Alerts, guaranteeing interrupted connectivity even throughout pure disasters.
KDDI additionally famous that Android customers may also message Google’s Gemini AI assistant for assist with data and day by day duties — a singular integration of AI into cellular satellite tv for pc communications.
Commenting on the launch, Gwynne Shotwell, President & COO of SpaceX, stated: “I’m thrilled to deliver direct-to-cell connectivity to Japan by KDDI — the primary in Asia and one of many first worldwide. Starlink and direct-to-cell expertise are sport changers, providing doubtlessly life-saving capabilities throughout emergencies.”
KDDI and Google Cloud Japan had not too long ago signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to discover the way forward for AI in Japan. The partnership will focus on Google’s superior Gemini generative AI mannequin, with plans to combine it into KDDI’s home infrastructure, such because the Osaka Sakai information heart, inside fiscal yr 2025.
This initiative aligns with Google Cloud’s technique of localizing AI infrastructure and companies to fulfill regulatory and efficiency wants particular to Japan. By leveraging KDDI’s telecommunications experience and Google Cloud’s AI management, the businesses purpose to ship accessible, high-performance AI capabilities to each enterprises and shoppers.
KDDI stated that technical testing is ready to start instantly, opening the door for companies that mix AI, edge connectivity and satellite tv for pc communication.
KDDI can be placing the concentrate on future 6G networks. Final month, Samsung Electronics and KDDI Analysis, the R&D institute of KDDI, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for joint analysis into the applying of synthetic intelligence (AI) in next-generation cellular communication networks.
As 6G standardization beneficial properties momentum with AI expertise increasing throughout industries, the 2 firms stated they purpose to reinforce total community efficiency by making use of AI to multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) applied sciences.
Final yr, KDDI Company and SoftBank stated they’ve agreed to begin discussions to doubtlessly increase the scope of their ongoing collaborative initiative for collectively constructing 5G networks in Japan by their three way partnership 5G JAPAN Company.
Particularly, the carriers stated they might take into account increasing relevant protection areas from rural areas to areas nationwide and to discover the mutual utilization of 4G base station property, along with the present scope of 5G property, amongst different initiatives.
