KDDI, SpaceX Partnering on SCS Service in Japan as Soon as 2024

KDDI will partner with SpaceX on providing mobile supplemental coverage from space (SCS) service starting as early as 2024, the Japanese telco said Wednesday. It said the SCS service, using SpaceX's Starlink satellites and KDDI wireless spectrum, will start with SMS texting and eventually expand to voice and data services. KDDI said almost all existing smartphones on its network will be compatible with the new service since it will use the devices' existing radio services.