Following the announcement of the iPhone 14 line with satellite connection support, several carriers and manufacturers are said to be working on similar features.
T-Mobile (partnering with SpaceX) and Bullitt (which makes rugged phones), partnering with chipmaker MediaTek, are officially in the game. According to rumours, Samsung may also bring this technology to its Galaxy S23 devices next year.
But how does a satellite connection work in a smartphone? Read on to see if this is essential for you or just another unnecessary gimmick.
Is satellite connection on phones a new thing?
Not necessary. Satellite phones have been around for decades; We’ve covered the best satellite phones in the past. They provide a way to make calls and send messages where mobile coverage is an issue – open seas, high mountains, rural areas, and so on.
But how does a satellite connection work in a smartphone? Read on to see if this is essential for you or just another unnecessary gimmick.
Is satellite connection on phones a new thing?
Not necessary. Satellite phones have been around for decades; We’ve covered the best satellite phones in the past. They provide a way to make calls and send messages where mobile coverage is an issue – open seas, high mountains, rural areas, and so on.
In both cases, the phone sends out wireless signals in different frequencies (depending on the connection type), which are received by the station and then retransmitted (wired or wirelessly) until they reach the destination. Whether it is the server of the internet service, or other party in a call). When the destination responds, the signal travels to the other side.
Since satellites are in space, they can receive connections coming from places where cell phone towers are not available for whatever reason. Depending on the type of satellite (low-Earth, which orbits a few hundred miles above the ground, or geosynchronous, which orbits thousands of miles above the planet’s surface), they have specific pros and cons.
While low-earth satellites are smaller, thus requiring smaller antennas, they cover a limited area, and more of them are needed to ensure a good connection to a provider. Plus, they need a straight line to work reliably, and the signal is only good outdoors. Latency is lower on these networks, however, and the plans are less expensive.
Geosynchronous satellites, on the other hand, require larger phones to connect to, and both the device and the fees cost more. They cover a much larger area and don’t require direct line of sight to let calls and messages through. Other disadvantages are longer latency because of the greater distance, and they don’t work near Earth’s poles.
How Satellite Connection Works in iPhones
Satellite connections are a thing for smartphones, starting with Apple’s iPhone 14 line. That doesn’t mean someone can watch TikTok videos in Point Nemo, though: As with their silent phone counterparts, the use cases are very limited.
Using Emergency SOS via satellite services on an iPhone is for emergencies only. They have some preset messages which are sent along with the GPS coordinates to the rescue services. Location sharing is one-way: you can see that your call for help was received, but won’t know how close first responders are.
Apple’s solution was initially available only in the US and Canada; It also arrives in the UK, France, Germany and Ireland in December 2022. It works using a Qualcomm modem, which isn’t new on iPhones, and a robust connection to some custom hardware. It uses Globalstar’s satellites, which have a limited coverage area.
Smartphone satellite connections from other companies
Besides Apple, what are other companies doing in the satellite sector?
T-Mobile and Starlink
A few weeks before the launch of the iPhone 14 line, US-based carrier T-Mobile and rocket company SpaceX announced a partnership. According to T-Mo’s CEO, the goal is to “eliminate the mobile dead zone” by using Starlink’s satellite Internet. Beta tests should begin in 2023.
The companies plan their service somewhat differently, though. First, they want to enable two-way SMS, MMS and some messaging apps from day one, with calls and wider internet connections coming at a later date.
Plus, the service will be free for most of T-Mobile’s current plan portfolio. Those on the lower tier will have to pay separately for it, although the carrier promises far lower fees than traditional satellite connections. Apple’s offering, on the other hand, is “free for the first two years,” and no one knows how much it will cost when the company starts charging for it.
Bullitt and Mediatek
Bullitt is a British smartphone maker known for its rugged devices such as the Cat phone and the 2021 edition of the Motorola Defy. Last month, it announced a partnership with chipmaker MediaTek to launch a “satellite-to-mobile messaging smartphone”.