If you live in a rural area of the UK, you may soon be able to use your phone for satellite calls, messages and other standard data use. On Tuesday, the nation's telecom regulator, Ofcom, proposed using direct-to-device satellite tech to connect people in the UK's "most rural and hard-to-reach places," like mountains and remote villages.
Ofcom sees the tech complementing traditional networks, aiming to provide 100 percent mobile coverage in the UK. The regulator said the tech could also provide backup coverage during outages, offer service to ships and passengers in coastal waters without a connection and provide emergency 999 services (the UK's version of 911) in remote areas.
In January, British telecom Vodafone made the world's first satellite video call using a standard mobile phone on a remote mountain in west Wales.
Regarding the regulatory details, Ofcom suggests amending existing mobile spectrum licenses for frequencies already used by cellular providers (below 3 GHz). However, the regulator also offered alternative approaches, including introducing a new license for satellite services or allowing license-exempt use if certain conditions are met. Regardless of its specific policy approach, Ofcom said strict conditions would be attached to avoid interference with existing spectrum users in the UK and overseas.
Ofcom is opening a consultation period with stakeholders from now to May 20. Depending on the feedback it receives, it could begin authorizing direct-to-device calls later this year.
The iPhone 14 series was the first standard handset to offer direct-to-satellite emergency messaging. In iOS 18, Apple expanded the functionality beyond crises to any situation where you're off the grid. The Samsung Galaxy S25 series and Google Pixel 9 recently added similar functionality.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-uk-could-greenlight-direct-to-phone-satellite-services-this-year-183504094.html?src=rss https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-uk-could-greenlight-direct-to-phone-satellite-services-this-year-183504094.html?src=rssMelden Sie sich an, um einen Kommentar hinzuzufügen
Andere Beiträge in dieser Gruppe
These are some recently released titles we think are worth adding to your reading list. This week, we're diving into Alex Foster's futuristic debut, Circular Motion, and the return of
OpenAI has achieved "gold medal-level performance" at the International Math Olympiad, notching another important milestone for AI's fast-paced growth. Alexander Wei, a research scientist at OpenAI
Looks like we can skip the drum roll for the next Battl
Welcome to our weekly roundup of the goings on in the indie game space. It's been quite the busy spell, with several notable games debuting or landing on more platforms and some intriguing upcoming
If I had to describe the status of Subnautica 2 in just three words, it would be these: messy, messy, messy. That’s not to say the game itself is in terrible shape — this is actually a piv
