Satellite comms could be coming to more new phones, and that's a great thing

Date:
Mon, 20 Mar 2023 12:29:13 +0000

Description:
The US government has outlined plans to bring satellite connectivity to more mobile users.

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Satellite connectivity is a marquee feature of every phone in Apples iPhone
14 lineup, but the US government has outlined new plans to make phone-to-satellite linking more accessible to more users in the near future.

As spotted by PhoneArena , the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has submitted a proposal that would allow mobile carriers like Verizon and AT&T
to team up with satellite operators in order to provide mobile coverage in otherwise signal-less areas.

Right now, Apples partnership with satellite telecommunications company Globalstar allows its latest iPhones to establish connections with satellites through a feature called Emergency SOS via satellite (which we've tested for ourselves ). All four iPhone 14 models boast high-tech components that interact with Apple-owned ground stations, where staff are on hand to field emergency calls from users in the US, UK, Canada, France, Ireland and
Germany.

In other words, the existing infrastructure for smartphone-based satellite connectivity is, for the most part, owned and operated by Apple, which is a reality the US government hopes to change.

Samsung is expected to debut comparable phone-to-satellite capabilities with its Samsung Galaxy S24 line next year, but again, the Korean company will use Qualcomm's proprietary Snapdragon Satellite service to make that happen.

The US government, then, has proposed a system in which non-geostationary orbit satellites [get] leases from terrestrial spectrum owners. In laymans terms, that means satellite companies and mobile carriers working together to provide coverage in areas without existing Wi-Fi or cellular coverage.

If the proposal is approved, new phones wont need dedicated, Apple-style components to establish connections with satellites. Instead, the onus will
be on mobile carriers to facilitate those connections.

Of course, mobile carriers will almost certainly charge higher fees for plans that allow for emergency satellite connection, but its exciting to think that such a premium smartphone feature one currently reserved for the best
iPhones and, more recently, the Motorola Defy 2 could soon become more
widely available. All four phones in Apple's iPhone 14 range support
satellite connectivity (Image credit: 123RF)

Its also worth noting that Apple hasn't yet confirmed whether its Emergency SOS via satellite feature will remain free to iPhone 14 users indefinitely. The potentially life-saving technology is currently available free-of-charge for two years, but Apple may opt to implement subscription fees or one-time charges for iPhone 14 owners using the feature after their free trial periods have expired.

Apples decision on the above will likely steer the wider mobile industrys approach to satellite connectivity. Satellites are expensive business, and phone manufacturers will surely discourage users from trying to communicate via satellite in anything other than emergency situations.

It's great news, though, that more people might soon be given the option to make emergency calls when they need to.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/satellite-comms-could-be-coming-to-more-new-pho nes-and-thats-a-great-thing


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