Page 61 - SAMENA Trends - December 2023

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SpaceX Cleared to Test Satellite Phone Service Via Starlink

SpaceX has got approval to run tests of a proposed service that a permanent basis." SpaceX has 180 days to carry out its trials,
allows unmodified smartphones to make calls via a satellite link. and said in its application these will involve approximately 840
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which regulates satellites with direct-to-cellular payloads, approximately 60 of
all things network in the US, has permitted Elon Musk's space biz to which will be serving handsets in the US under this experimental
pilot direct-to-cellular communications between everyday cellular authorization at any given time. The tests are set to be conducted
phones and its Gen2 Starlink satellites. The space-faring company using frequencies in the 1910-1915 MHz and 1990-1995 MHz
said in its application that "experimental" authority was needed to bands, otherwise known as the PCS G Block, with the cooperation
carry out tests as the FCC is still processing SpaceX's application of T-Mobile USA, which is the licensee of these bands. T-Mobile
"to enable supplemental coverage from space for consumers on and SpaceX announced plans last year to use satellites in low
Earth orbit to provide a cellphone service, claiming this would
extend coverage to remote locations across the US and its
territorial waters. Starlink even started advertising a Direct to Cell
satellite phone service on its website in October, claiming this
would include a text messaging service starting in 2024, with voice
and data features added in 2025. SpaceX reckons it will expand
coverage via agreements with carriers in other regions, listing
potential candidates as Rogers in Canada, Optus in Australia, One
NZ in New Zealand, Salt in Switzerland, and KDDI in Japan. This
experimental authorization follows an earlier partial authorization
from the FCC for SpaceX to deploy and operate the Gen2 Starlink
satellites themselves, which was granted only at the start of this
month. The FCC said that action would allow SpaceX to begin
rolling out Gen2 Starlink, ultimately bringing high-speed satellite
broadband to Americans nationwide, and it would protect other
satellite and terrestrial operators from harmful interference and
maintain a safe space environment.

Thuraya Upgrades Satcoms/Cellular Phone to Offer LTE Functionality

Proof of the continuing importance of the handheld satellite phone says it is also ideal for the oil and gas, mining and infrastructure
market comes with the announcement that Thuraya has launched development sectors.
what it calls an enhanced generation of its popular XT-PRO DUAL
satellite and cellular feature phone. Thuraya Telecommunications
Company, the mobility arm of the UAE’s flagship satellite solutions
provider Yahsat, says it is releasing the upgrade to one of Thuraya’s
top-selling and most popular phones as demand for dual-mode
communications soars worldwide. The XT-PRO DUAL is a dual-
mode, dual-SIM satellite-cellular phone that allows users to
move in and out of terrestrial coverage and seamlessly connect
with ease, regardless of their location. The upgrade means it can
support terrestrial 4G LTE networks for flexible connectivity. Of
course, the phone also caters for users in harsh environments,
and thus the ingress protection has been increased to the IP65/
IK05 standard, which makes the phone dust and water-resistant
as well as shockproof. Both ingress protection (IP) and impact
resistance (IK) codes relate to standards prepared and published
by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The target
market for the satellite phone is a wide one that includes fire
brigades police forces, officials managing disaster relief efforts,
border controls and coast guards. Not surprisingly, Thuraya

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