Vodafone’s Vanguard Venture: First-Ever Satellite Video Call via Smartphone
Vodafone Makes History with First-Ever Smartphone Video Call via Satellite
For the first time in history, Vodafone has successfully conducted a video call using a standard smartphone via satellite. The company has announced plans to roll out this technology across Europe by the end of 2025, Reuters reports.
Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle received the landmark video call on Monday from company engineer Rowan Chesmer, who was in a remote mountainous region of Wales with no mobile network coverage. The uninterrupted connection was made possible through satellite technology.
Vodafone is utilizing AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellite for this initiative, which operates in low Earth orbit and can transmit data at speeds of up to 120 megabits per second. In addition to Vodafone, major investors in the project include AT&T, Verizon, and Google.
The race to expand mobile connectivity via satellite has drawn participation from leading technology firms. Apple has already enabled emergency messaging via satellite on the iPhone 14, while Google and Samsung are actively developing similar capabilities.
Speaking at the inauguration of Vodafone’s “Space-to-Land” gateway in Newbury, UK, British astronaut Tim Peake remarked, “The ability to stay connected from space to Earth is a tremendous achievement.” He also expressed his readiness to embark on another space mission if given the opportunity.
