This is the nomad dream. Have a single phone service and wander anywhere on the planet with it. No more having to swap SIMs out on every border, being unable to use text-based 2FA, forcing friends to contact only via messaging apps, system messages in a foreign language, etc.
It's not the coverage; that's mostly good. It's not the price; mostly SIM cards and plans are cheaper when travelling than they are at home. It's the hassle of swapping SIMs every time you cross a border.
Starlink isn't meant to be your primary cell service, and likely will never be, considering people are rarely within direct line of sight to the sky when they need to use their phone.
I've been using data-only plans since 2015 combined with voip.ms VoIP numbers (for Toronto and SF). This means I could travel and pop in a prepaid SIM card whenever I went anywhere and not have any problems using data-based messaging services (Signal/WhatsApp/iMessage).
As of this year I ditched my T-Mobile prepaid data SIM and exclusively use prepaid eSIMs (esimdb.com has a great comparison, but Nomad makes it very easy with their app). So I still have to "swap sims" but it's all done on the iPhone itself, no need to bring a sim ejector/paperclip.
What's really funny is that last week my eSIM ran out (I forgot to top up) and my 16 Pro connected to the satellite network (since it assumed no service was available I guess?), where I was able to use iMessage (in the limited way (to individuals, not groups)).
How exactly are you using iMessage with your VoIP number? I thought it requires a valid SIM card to register the number. Also, aren't SMS, MMS media, and MMS groups super finicky with VoIP services?
Most nomads don't really care for cell phones? This is the facsimile of the idea for people that want the benefits of travel without the negatives of no fixed relationships.
Which isn't really a negative to this. Indeed, if you have the means, I'd say go for it.
There are travel SIM cards already. Many work in most countries, some even on planes and ships.
Personally, I still buy SIM cards (or, more recently, eSIM plans). Not so hard, but way cheaper, and you can get a local number and use with local services that require one.
You need to activate the plan in the US and return to the US every 90 days (or lose your mobile data). So it’s not really an option for people outside the US.
Direct to Cell is not usable LTE service. It doesn't have the bandwidth. It is effectively 2G or satellite phone, with messages, voice calls, and slow data.
I'm afraid that you haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about. Look at the recent FCC issues around interference to benchmark current bandwidth and latency.
It's not the coverage; that's mostly good. It's not the price; mostly SIM cards and plans are cheaper when travelling than they are at home. It's the hassle of swapping SIMs every time you cross a border.