T-Mobile just started advertising that they can be used on any flight. I think this is just a second signal that the market is moving towards Free(ish) WiFi on planes, boats, etc.
I haven’t seen the specific announcement this thread is referring to, but it sounds like it will essentially be an extension of the free inflight messaging T-Mobile has long offered on Wi-Fi equipped flights, except that it will work on flights without Wi-Fi. Extremely low bandwidth and limited to only messaging apps, but an extension of a service they already offer.
The free inflight messaging that T-Mobile offered was just a "free offer for customers of T-Mobile" deal on services provided by an in-flight internet provider. Basically a "free doordash premium subscription for chase sapphire reserve customers" type of a deal.
Regardless if you are a T-Mobile customer using that deal or not at all, you join the in-plane WiFi AP, it goes to the captive portal, and there you get options like "tmobile customers offer", "single flight pass", and "monthly flight pass". Once you pick your option and get through it, you have internet access. And regardless which option you went with, you get the exact same type of internet connection as everyone else on that flight.
From what I've personally seen, it was done through GoGo Inflight Internet[0] heavy majority of the time.
T-Mobile's plan is "New SpaceX satellites have giant antennas that your smartphone can reach with a puny bandwidth, if you don't have cell signal you can use that satellite connection for messengers and maybe calls". Royal Caribbean's plan is "We have lots of space and power on these giant cruise ships, let's put a couple dedicated Starlink antennas on them to sell better WiFi to our passengers".
Plan 1 won't encroach on plan 2 yet, unless all you care about is Whatsapp.
