T-Mobile made news during the Super Bowl this year when it announced availability and pricing details for its T-Mobile Starlink service. It turns out the service wont actually require being a T-Mobile customer.For starters, T-Mobile is taking sign-ups for T-Mobile Starlink beta, and access will be free until it exits beta in July. But testing T-Mobile Starlink doesnt require being a T-Mobile customer. The carrier will allow customers of competing carriers to test T-Mobile Starlink beta for free as well. No need to switch carriers.When T-Mobile Starlink officially launches in July, it will be included in Go5G Next plans at no additional cost. T-Mobile customers on other plans can add the satellite-based service to any plan for $15/month.Dont have T-Mobile? The carrier will still sell you access for $20/month.Thats steep pricing for connectivity that is only meant to be used outdoors in areas without cell network coverage, but its a bit of a surprise that T-Mobile Starlink wont require using T-Mobile as your carrier. Heres more from the announcement today:Now in public beta, this breakthrough service, developed in partnership with Starlink, uses straight-out-of-a-sci-fi-movie satellite and mobile communications technology to help keep people connected even you, Verizon and AT&T customers in the more than 500,000 square miles of the country unreached by any carriers earth-bound cell towers. Thats nearly the size of two Texases!T-Mobile Starlink uses specially configured satellites with Direct-to-Cell capabilities orbiting the Earth 200+ miles up in space and traveling at over 17,000 miles per hour to deliver cell phone signals text messages for now with picture messages, data and voice calls coming later to and from locations traditional cell towers cant reach (aka mobile dead zones).As a reminder, the T-Mobile Starlink service is an optional add-on from T-Mobile through its partnership with SpaceX. Apples part is only in supporting T-Mobiles network. iOS 18.3 enables iPhone users to opt out of their carriers satellite connected features, but the software update does not install Starlink on every iPhone. Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel