back to article Vodafone aims to offer satellite-to-phone connectivity starting later this year

Vodafone claims it has made the first mobile video call using a satellite connection and standard 4G/5G smartphones, and said it aims to offer a commercial direct-to-cell satellite service in Europe starting later this year. The telecoms giant says the video call was made between one of its engineers, Rowan Chesmer, who was in …

  1. SomeRandom1

    Service?

    "and the service they will receive "mirrors the experience of existing 4G and 5G mobile networks,"

    Excellent, so calls dropping, unintelligible audio and terrible service indoors. Nice

    1. Caver_Dave Silver badge

      Re: Service?

      Eyes skyward! My work phone is only ever used for company IT resource 2FA, my personal phone for website 2FA and payment authorisation.

      The number of times these timed out as I used to wander around the house/garden/street trying to get the signals!

      This is in an areas where all the networks say I should get both 3G and 4G indoors.

      Latest phones have WiFi calling and so I no longer have problems. Phew!

      I don't see them offering it as a free upgrade in not-spots!

    2. Roland6 Silver badge

      Re: Service?

      Well it is noteworthy they have made no attempt to replicate the EE Snowdon advert…

      https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/05/21/ad-the-day-ee-stunt-shaves-tom-ellis-snowdon-250-miles-away-london

      Aside: I had forgotten the ad shown in 2021.

  2. Flak

    Timing is everything!

    5 low earth orbit satellites (cruising altitude of just over 500km) will provide very intermittent service.

    Apparently orbiting the earth twice a day, the photoshoot for this call will have been timed to perfection, both in terms of start time and duration.

    Putting that aside, it is a fantastic achievement to have bi-directional comms between standard mobile phones and satellites, given the distance.

    I am not sure how much cover this will be able to provide, even with a much enhanced roll-out.

    Starlink is apparently planning a launch of direct-to-device mobile services from their 7000 current satellites.

    1. Geoff Campbell Silver badge
      Boffin

      Re: Starlink

      > Starlink is apparently planning a launch of direct-to-device mobile services from their 7000 current satellites.

      Not quite. They are launching a service, but it is supported by specific satellites equipped with cell-tower hardware in addition to the "traditional" Starlink kit. These are flying in a lower orbit than normal (about 350km, as I recall?). It doesn't use the existing Starlink constellation, there's no way a standard phone could have a viable Starlink antenna.

      GJC

  3. Howard Sway Silver badge

    What were the momentous first words spoken?

    "£75 per call? You have got to be fucking kidding me!"

    1. Brave Coward

      Re: What were the momentous first words spoken?

      Sorry, no Sir. Only fucking quid-ing you.

  4. tony72

    ...two out of five mobile phone subscribers are unwilling to pay any extra for direct-to-cell satellite services

    I'm surprised it's not higher than that, depending on how exactly the question was worded. How much extra, and what exactly does it do for you? If you rarely go anywhere that doesn't already have cellular coverage, then it would seem to be rather pointless, so what exactly do most of the three out of five subscribers who are willing to pay extra for it think they're getting?

    1. Mishak Silver badge

      I'm not willing to pay "extra" until they make it work in built-up areas

      And WiFi Calling is clever - they get you to pay for and provide a network so that they can charge you to use a service that they "provide"...

    2. doublelayer Silver badge

      They could write that question in many ways to try to optimize the number of people saying they are willing to pay for it. I'm willing to pay for it. If you increase my bill by 0.1% and give me unlimited access worldwide, I'll pay for it preemptively. Those could probably be pushed a bit and I'd still be willing. However, I expect that it will actually take the form of a substantial increase in the bill just for the right to use the satellites at all, then extra fees for each thing the satellites are used for. If it ends up being as restricted as I predict, then I won't be buying any of it.

  5. david 12 Silver badge

    PNG

    Phones have around 80% coverage in PNG now. Starlink is rolling out, and now Vodafone is partnering up for an offering. This exposes the largest provider, because the owner (Telstra.AUS) is partnered with Starlink in Aus, so they don't have an offering for PNG.

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