Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
The UK’s first satellite-enabled smartphone video call has been completed by Vodafone, according to the company. The call was made from a mountain in West Wales and is part of Vodafone’s plan to add satellite connectivity to its UK phone network by the end of this year, with the aim to expand across Europe by 2026. Vodafone aims to use satellite technology to eliminate “not spots” – areas without mobile signal. Regulatory hurdles will need to be cleared and many more satellites will have to be launched for the service to be successful, experts warn.
Satellite connectivity allows ordinary phones to operate with full internet access when there is no coverage. Many iPhones and Android devices already have emergency satellite connectivity, however, it is currently text message-based. Vodafone says it has gone a step further with a video call between a company engineer and the Vodafone boss, Margherita Della Valle, in a not spot in West Wales. Della Valle says satellite technology is important as it may open the door to “universal connectivity”, connecting people in the UK wherever they may be. The satellites would not replace existing masts and towers but would provide an additional layer of coverage.
Vodafone has partnered with a satellite company called AST SpaceMobile, which currently has relatively few satellites in orbit. The company will have to build a full constellation to offer consistent coverage all of the time. The issue of satellite regulation is also unresolved, including with rival providers, such as Elon Musk’s Starlink. Ofcom plans to consult on this issue in “early 2025”.
Astronomers warn that an increase in satellites in orbit will make it harder for them to study space. The International Astronomy Union Centre for the Protection of the Dark Sky has expressed concerns about the number of satellite constellations, which are potentially contaminating astronomical images by leaving bright light streaks in them. Satellites are also transmitting radio signals down to Earth, which are increasingly obscuring humanity’s view of the universe, according to astrophysicist Dr Megan Argo, who warns that this will impact attempts to spot potentially hazardous asteroids that may collide with the Earth. However, astronaut Tim Peak is more positive about satellites, saying there is plenty of room for more and that humanity needs to manage the number of satellites and protect the space environment
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.