In 2023, it will be possible to send a text message through space using a conventional cellphone. Both Huawei and Apple have recently released cellphones capable of using satellite networks for texting, and startups AST SpaceMobile and Lynk Global are building new low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks to allow for text messaging on 5G cellphones outside of terrestrial coverage. These new satellite connections will allow people to use texting to signal for help from anywhere, as long as they have a clear view of the sky and their mobile phone has capabilities similar to devices like the Garmin inReach communicator. Huawei has not yet announced when its satellite texting service will be available, but Apple’s partnership with Globalstar, called Emergency SOS via satellite, has been operational since November 2022. Lynk Global has agreements with 23 telecom providers to begin commercial operations in 2023, while AST SpaceMobile plans to launch its first five commercial satellites in late 2023 and expects to begin commercial operations in 2024.
In the third quarter of 2022, Apple, Starlink, and T-Mobile made announcements about satellite-cellular connectivity, leading to the idea of being able to connect anywhere at any time. However, the initial services will not be as seamless as they appear. Both Apple and Huawei will initially connect to older satellites in higher orbits, which could take more than 10 minutes to establish a connection. Even the newer LEO networks, such as Lynk Global’s, are currently only advertising satellite texting and not yet offering the higher capacity link needed for voice or video calls. AST SpaceMobile has said that as they add more satellites, it will be up to their mobile network operator partners to decide whether to offer small increments of bandwidth to many users for texting or voice-only calls, or to offer data-heavy services to select users. Lynk Global CEO Charles Miller has said that he does not mind the aspirational advertising campaigns of his competitors, as they educate the market and make people want more.
The new satellite-cellular connectivity services are made possible by several advancements that are now mature. These include the decreasing cost of satellite manufacturing and the shrinking size of satellites, which makes it more affordable to build more satellites and put them into lower orbits between 300 to 600 kilometres above Earth. These closer satellites can be reached by handsets with less power. Another key advancement is in software-defined radios, which are chips that can transmit and receive on different wavelengths modulated by software running on the satellite. In the past, this required distinct hardware for each wavelength, but digital signal processing now enables software-defined radio chips to do the work of multiple pieces of hardware. This technology also allows for more antenna capability to be packed into a smaller space, making it possible for Lynk to start with small 1-square-meter antennas and eventually install larger, more effective ones on its satellites. AST SpaceMobile plans to deploy large antennas, up to around 400 m2, in order to effectively communicate with low-power, low-signal-strength phones. These would be the largest commercial telecom arrays in LEO.
Having phones communicate with satellites rather than cell towers is challenging due to the longer signal delays. To address this issue, AST is working with Nokia and Rakuten on hardware solutions that allow the core network to wait longer for satellite signals. In 2023, Apple and Huawei will test the capabilities of older communication satellites using their flagship handsets with new chips. If things go according to plan, Lynk Global will offer commercial service to its mobile network operator partners by spring 2023. AST may have its first commercial satellites in space by that time, but will still be testing and configuring them. Network operators are now asking how they can use this technology and what the best market strategy is for each market, rather than questioning its feasibility. In some countries, 2023 could be the year when people no longer have to worry about seeing the message “No Service” on their phones.
