AST SpaceMobile — a mobile satellite tv for pc firm backed by AT&T — has positioned a satellite tv for pc name over 5G, marking the “first ever” 5G connection between an unmodified smartphone and a satellite tv for pc in area.
To conduct the take a look at, AST SpaceMobile used a Galaxy S22. It made the decision on September eighth, 2023, from a wi-fi lifeless zone in Maui, Hawaii, with its recipient situated in Madrid, Spain. AST SpaceMobile received the cell sign to its vacation spot by leveraging its low Earth orbit take a look at satellite tv for pc, referred to as BlueWalker 3 (BW3), and AT&T’s 5G spectrum. Vodafone, Nokia, and AT&T all validated the decision.
There have been just a few checks main as much as this newest milestone. In April, SpaceMobile routed its first space-based telephone name on AT&T’s 2G community. It later despatched a 4G LTE sign from area that an unusual telephone managed to choose up, whereas additionally touting 10Mbps obtain speeds. Nonetheless, AST SpaceMobile says it has since damaged that obtain velocity file by reaching a price of round 14Mbps in a separate take a look at.
“As soon as once more, we now have achieved a big technological development that represents a paradigm shift in entry to data,” Abel Avellan, the CEO of AST SpaceMobile, says in a press release. “For the reason that launch of BW3, we now have achieved full compatibility with telephones made by all main producers and help for 2G, 4G LTE, and now 5G.”
Correction September nineteenth, 9:11AM: A earlier model of the article incorrectly said the iPhone 14 is able to satellite tv for pc calls, when it could possibly solely make texts through satellite tv for pc. We remorse the error.