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iPhones and Android users can soon make calls anywhere on Earth with no signal
iPhone and Android users will soon be able to use Elon Musk'S satellites to make calls from anywhere - thanks to his Starlink technology.
The world’s richest man is poised to let smartphone users make calls from the most remote parts of the world. They’ll be able to get connectivity from THE vast constellation of satellites orbiting the earth, This will allow them to phone people without needing to be close to traditional cell towers, which broadcast signals.
While satellite phones have been around for decades, those using the Starlink technology will not have to buy any expensive new hardware. Instead, they’ll simply be able to use their ordinary cell phone, making this a huge leap forward in transnational communications.
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The breakthrough comes after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted SpaceX approval for Starlink to keep US residents with T-Mobile phones connected in ‘cellular dead zones’ in November.
Further communication between Starlink and the FCC revealed that the service has also been successful with mobile phone brands such as Apple, Samsung and Google in testing. This was confirmed both in expansive outdoor areas and in cities, where those with the phones were using them in indoor locations.
Starlink also says they expect the technology will work on older phones, not just those that have been bought in the last year or so. Starlink may not just provide a lifeline for those in areas without any internet or cell phone signal, but also for those who are in emergency situations or involved in search and rescue missions.
Other traditional satellite services tend to operate from a single geostationary module, which travels around the planet at a distance of 35,786km, according to Starlink's website. This means the 'round trip data time between the user and satellite - also known as latency - is high’, and it makes it very hard, or almost impossible, for users to successfully stream data.
However, Starlink is a constellation of thousands of satellites that orbit the planet much closer to Earth, at about 550km. This means they can cover the entire globe. As the Starlink satellites are in a much lower orbit, they are able to support streaming on phones and computers.
Stalink has already been widely used in places where traditional mobile phone connectivity is not possible. For example, soldiers in Ukraine have made use of the technology to fly and operate their drones as they bid to counter Russian forces attacking them on the frontlines.
However, astronomers in The Netherlands recently highlighted how Starlink was making it harder to see into the universe due to the radio waves they emit. Professor Jessica Dempsey, director of ASTRON, told BBC News: “Every time more of these are launched with these kinds of emission levels, we see less and less of the sky."
