Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has approved the rollout of satellite connectivity for everyday mobile users.
It said that the race to bring satellite calls and texts to ordinary smartphones has begun, after announcing its final decisions about how the technology can be rolled out in the UK.
This technology involves a constellation of satellites in low-Earth orbit sending signals directly to users’ smartphones on the ground, allowing them to make calls, send texts, and use data.
Previously, satellite-connected phones required specialised equipment and did not generally feature high-bandwidth connections.
Now, direct-to-device satellite connectivity will bring high-speed satellite data connections to existing smartphones across the UK.
One of the biggest advantages of this technology is its ability to provide signal in mobile blackspots or ‘not-spots’, where terrestrial mobile networks cannot provide coverage.
That means users will no longer need to worry about dropped calls and no signal in remote areas, allowing them to stay connected even in the most rural parts of the UK.
Ofcom said that mobile operators who intend to provide these services will need to change their licence accordingly, although ordinary smartphone users will not require any licence or hardware changes.
The licence requirement also ensures that companies operating these services follow rules to avoid interference as they share spectrum with other services.
O2 and Vodafone have each already announced plans to bring satellite connectivity to their customers’ smartphones.
O2 plans to deliver its O2 Satellite service using Starlink’s constellation of satellites, while Vodafone has partnered with AST SpaceMobile to deliver direct-to-device satellite services to its customers.
Currently, the only other country in Europe where this technology has been widely rolled out is in Ukraine, where outages and interferance due to the ongoing conflict require a more resilient connectivity solution.
“With satellite technology, in future you could send selfies from Scafell Pike, livestream from Lake Windermere, or browse bargains from Ben Nevis,” Ofcom Group Director for Spectrum David Willis.
“Mobile operators are already pressing ahead to the make UK the first nation in Western Europe to have widespread access to this technology, which will see remote and rural areas be better connected than ever before, unlocking opportunities for communities, businesses and economic growth.”
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