Satellite phone service could soon become the norm
America's Big 3 cellcos all signed up already, though most of the 'non terrestrial' tech not actually live yet
PIC
https://regmedia.co.uk/2024/06/19/gsma_map.jpg
Looking at the constellation size and coverage of the satellite
operators, Starlink is out in front with about 6,000 satellites in
orbit, GSMA Intelligence says, although it should be noted that only
recently launched vehicles currently support direct-to-cell
capability.
Eutelsat OneWeb has the next highest number of deployments, with
approximately 650 satellites in place, representing most of its
constellation. AST SpaceMobile only has a single test satellite in
orbit and has yet to loft any of the BlueBird units it will need to
provide a commercial service. Amazon's Project Kuiper likewise only
has a pair of test satellites in orbit.
...
...
The key takeaway from the report is that satellite connectivity looks
like it will become just another part of mobile comms, although it
isn't clear if this will be included in a customer's service plan or
marketed as an add-on extra.
https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/19/satellite_phone_service_could_soon
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