Vodafone has claimed to have completed the world's first video call using a standard smartphone connected to a satellite network. The call, made from a remote location in the Welsh mountains with no terrestrial network coverage, was received by Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle from company engineer Rowan Chesmer. The UK-based telecom provider plans to roll out this satellite calling technology to its users across Europe later this year and in 2026, offering connectivity even in areas without traditional cellular coverage. This service can help in ease of communication in remote areas and during emergencies.
What the Vodafone said about the service
According to a report by the news agency Reuters, Vodafone is using AST SpaceMobile's five BlueBird satellites in low-Earth orbit to deliver transmission speeds of up to 120 megabits per second for regular smartphones.
In an interview with Reuters, Della Valle said:
"We were using the only satellite service that can offer a full mobile experience with a normal device, so you get everything from voice to text to video data transmission, which is why we did a full video call. Our objective is to bring the service to our customers as soon as possible."The UK-based telco is an investor in AST SpaceMobile, along with AT&T, Verizon, Google, and others.
Della Valle was accompanied by British astronaut Tim Peake at the launch of the company's space-to-land gateway at its UK headquarters in Newbury, west of London.
The gateway receives signals from a user's smartphone via satellite and integrates them into its core network.
Peake, who became the first British to visit the International Space Station and perform a spacewalk in 2015, described the use of space-based technology for mobile coverage as an "incredible breakthrough."
In a statement to Reuters, Peake said:
“Having spent six months on the space station living in a pretty remote and isolated environment, that ability to have a connection with family and friends is incredibly important.”Tired of too many ads?
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