TL;DR
- Vodafone achieved the first-ever video call over satellite using a normal smartphone, showcasing full mobile broadband capabilities.
- The upcoming service functions on existing 4G or 5G phones without requiring special equipment like dishes or proprietary mobile hardware.
- Commercial rollout begins later this year, with plans for broader coverage expansions continuing through 2026.
While carriers like T-Mobile are just now testing their satellite messaging services, Vodafone has scored a world first by placing a video call on a standard mobile phone using satellite connectivity.
Rowan Chesmer, an engineer at Vodafone, made the historic first satellite-connected video call from a remote area in Wales to the company’s Group Chief Executive, Margherita Della Valle. The call was placed using satellites built to offer a full mobile broadband experience, not just messaging or video calling.
Vodafone is touting this as the “only satellite service in the world today that offers mobile broadband directly to multiple normal 4G or 5G smartphones.” True enough, no other carrier has publicly tested mobile satellite connectivity to this level. T-Mobile also has plans to make calling a possibility on its Starlink service sometime in the future, but Vodafone’s solution takes things a step further by promising a complete mobile broadband experience.
The company plans to launch its direct-to-smartphone broadband satellite service commercially later this year, initially available only in Europe. It will gradually expand through 2026 to fill any remaining coverage gaps in the region.
“Direct-to-mobile broadband satellite is a fully integrated extension of Vodafone’s existing land-based fibre and mobile networks, providing reliable digital connectivity in rural coverage not spots, including vast stretches of surrounding sea,” Vodafone wrote in its press release.
Vodafone has partnered with AST SpaceMobile to offer low Earth orbit satellite connectivity to its subscribers. “Five AST SpaceMobile satellites, called Bluebird 1 — 5, allow Vodafone to test mobile broadband connectivity directly to existing smartphones at peak data transmission speeds of up to 120 Mbps,” the company explained.
What’s great is Vodafone’s solution allows for a satellite-based broadband experience on any phone.
“Unlike today’s satellite-based services, users do not need a special dish, terminal, or expensive satellite phone to benefit from full mobile broadband connectivity. The service they will receive mirrors the experience of existing 4G and 5G mobile networks, enabling them to use everyday smartphones to switch between space and ground-based networks automatically,” said the company.
