Unfair
This is unfair. How people who fear 5G are supposed to take this down now?
You can't exactly climb to space?
Vodafone is claiming to have made the world's first space-based 5G call placed using an unmodified handset, thanks to a test satellite operated by AST SpaceMobile. Interest in delivering services to mobile phones from orbiting satellites has been growing since Apple unveiled its Emergency SOS feature for the iPhone that allows …
"SpaceMobile's point of differentiation is its huge antenna, which makes it capable of putting down a small spot beam which limits interference. Starlink's v2 satellites have a tiny antenna, by comparison, which means bigger spot footprints and more potential for interference," Ray said.
I wonder, is he talking about the Starlink V2 mini's, or the full size V2's? The AST SpaceMoblie antenna is 64m^2, the full size Starlink V2 is 25m^2, so about 40% of the size. A lot smaller, but I'm not sure about "tiny".
Also it's all very well being able to put down a spot beam, but the tighter the spot is the fewer phones are actually in the coverage area. At the limit the entire spot is focussed on Auntie Mabel chatting to Cousin Doris and a mile away there's a damaged hiker trying to dial the 9's and unable to get a connection. Starlink on the other hand is providing service to the entire National Park with its ginormous footprint.
I do that whatsapp intercountry "phone call" umpteen times a day using an unmodified phone via Starlink, (other VOIP apps are available) so the only difference would appear to be that I didn't need a lug around a dish. However if I was right in the sticks in Africa or someplace I wouldnt have wandered off into a vast nowhere without many supplies, a fuck off 4x4 and the aforementioned dish and inverter. Sounds to me like Vodafone is trying to talk up a Musk level POS purchase.
I forgot my work iPhone on during an international Lufthansa flight recently. After landing, I noticed an SMS had arrived.: "Welcome to the global satellite network! Blablabla 9.7€ per MB blabla". And was really glad I had turned off data some time ago.
I was even happier that I had turned my personal phone off, because data roaming was enabled on this one...
Those plane cells are definitely sneaky.
I guess this is using EXISTING 5G bands?
That means it wouldn't work if you're just a little ways out of cellular range, because it couldn't limit its spot beam enough to avoid interfering with the licensed use of the band by the terrestrial 5G cellular towers.
I guess if it is the same carrier it may not matter, but it seems like there would be a lot of blank spots in the places you REALLY want service, though you'd have no problem using it when you are well and truly in the middle of the nowhere with no 5G coverage (at least on the particular 5G band(s) they use) for dozens of miles in any direction.
It will be interesting to see what kind of issues pop up in the places they roll this out.