{"id":54357,"date":"2022-11-28T18:58:33","date_gmt":"2022-11-28T10:58:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/sizing-up-the-satellite-to-cell-opportunity\/"},"modified":"2022-11-28T18:58:33","modified_gmt":"2022-11-28T10:58:33","slug":"sizing-up-the-satellite-to-cell-opportunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/sizing-up-the-satellite-to-cell-opportunity\/","title":{"rendered":"Sizing Up the Satellite-to-Cell Opportunity"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>At any given moment around the world, 15 percent of the planet\u2019s 5.2 billion mobile phone users are not connected, according to research conducted by Lynk, the first company to demonstrate a satellite-to-mobile-phone satellite constellation.<\/p>\n<p>What if those disconnections \u2013 from being in a remote area far from terrestrial signals or cut off from cell service following a natural disaster \u2013 were a thing of the past?<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GtpgBuvuS9SGpH248j8r_VS_120122_DGTL_Cover_2-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"width: 120px; height: auto;\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GtpgBuvuS9SGpH248j8r_VS_120122_DGTL_Cover_2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GtpgBuvuS9SGpH248j8r_VS_120122_DGTL_Cover_2-800x599.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GtpgBuvuS9SGpH248j8r_VS_120122_DGTL_Cover_2-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GtpgBuvuS9SGpH248j8r_VS_120122_DGTL_Cover_2.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"fs-5 mt-0\">Explore the December 2022 Issue<\/h3>\n<p class=\"mb-0 fs-smaller text-balance\">Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<button class=\"btn btn-primary\" type=\"button\" data-bs-toggle=\"offcanvas\" data-bs-target=\"#offcanvasMENU\" aria-controls=\"offcanvasExample\" aria-label=\"button\" style=\"white-space: nowrap;\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tView More <i class=\"bi bi-arrow-right-circle\"><\/i><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/p>\n<p>That reality is coming as satellite-to-cell service emerges as a viable service, first by startups and soon by major telco and handset players. The lifesaving and efficiency benefits of connecting satellites directly to unmodified cell phones is clear \u2013 people will no longer be out of touch or require a specialized device to connect.  <\/p>\n<p>While satellite-to-cell startups, Lynk and AST SpaceMobile, already enjoy early market advantage, with Lynk just receiving the FCC\u2019s greenlight to offer service internationally, the market could scale faster following a wave of partnering agreements between T-Mobile and SpaceX, and Apple and Globalstar. <\/p>\n<p>T-Mobile, the second-largest wireless carrier in the U.S. with 110 million customers, is working with SpaceX so that the second generation of Starlink satellites can connect directly to the carrier\u2019s phones at no cost.<\/p>\n<p><script>var AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a693565beef6;googletag.cmd.push(function(){var AIMAP_29b58f13885ebf8ea6b032f958eb0748 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([992, 100], [[970, 90], [970, 250]]).addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_737ce075cc05dd766c8f8ea08f3faa73 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1200, 100], [970, 250]).addSize([768, 100], [600, 300]).addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]).build();AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a693565beef6 = googletag.defineSlot('\/987\/satellitetoday.com\/via-satellite-digital-issue-ads', [ [600, 300], [300, 250], [970, 250] ], 'div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a693565beef7').defineSizeMapping(AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3).setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads());   });<\/script><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a693565beef7'); });<\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe reality is that terrestrial cellular tech has limitations. It just can\u2019t cover everywhere due to land use restrictions, topography, or technical limitations. This allows us to bring coverage a step farther to these remote areas,\u201d Karri Kuoppamaki, senior vice president of Radio Network Technology &amp; Strategy, T-Mobile, tells <em class=\"Annotation -emphasis\">Via Satellite<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The company plans to begin a beta program late next year, initially offering text, picture messaging and participating messaging apps, \u201cwith a goal of enriching the service with voice and data coverage in the coming years,\u201d Kuoppamaki stated. The carrier added that no extra equipment will be needed because the vast majority of smartphones already on T-Mobile\u2019s network should be compatible with the new service.<\/p>\n<p>Apple just announced that its emergency SOS messaging service via Globalstar\u2019s satellite network is now available on all iPhone 14 models for customers in the United States and Canada. The company serves about 23 percent of all smartphone users worldwide, or 1.2 billion people, with Android users accounting for the remaining market of 7.26 billion. According to Apple, iPhone 14 customers can access the SOS feature free for the first two years. <\/p>\n<p>Striving to make a cell phone work over satellites isn\u2019t new, with early efforts in the 1990s led by Iridium and Globalstar and later, by TerreStar, with disappointing results.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe service didn\u2019t live up to expectations\u2026you had to be out in a field. You couldn\u2019t be under a tree or inside a building or even in a car,\u201d recalls Tim Farrar, president of TMF Associates. He notes that Iridium\u2019s first satellite phone users were journalists in war-torn Kosovo in early 1999, who quickly discovered that the phones didn\u2019t work inside during rainy or wintry weather. <\/p>\n<p>The stigma of Iridium\u2019s failure in particular slowed progress of the market, say several sources, but today, the picture is much brighter, with many technical hurdles overcome, especially in the handset itself. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"flex flex-col justify-center items-center w-full image-block px-8\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Placeholder alt text\" class=\"w-full object-cover mx-auto\" src=\"http:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/UQfxXbbQSiaoo4I7wuAc_In_Lab_Group_Shot_2.jpg\"><figcaption class=\"p-3 bg-gray-300 bg-opacity-50 italic mx-auto w-full\">Team members at Lynk gathered in their Falls Church, Virginia headquarters, where Lynk designs and builds their LEO satellites for its direct-to-standard-mobile phone system. Photo: Lynk <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Market Validated by Major Players  <\/h3>\n<p>Satellite-to-device startups are bullish about the future of this market and with good reason, following the dramatic validation from industry titans such as Apple set to offer the capability to their users. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is going to grow to be the biggest category in all of satellite,\u201d predicts Charles Miller, co-founder and CEO of Lynk. <\/p>\n<p>According to Miller, Apple\u2019s plan to offer its two-way emergency SOS via satellite service validates what Lynk has known all along: that people will place a premium on never being disconnected. His firm\u2019s in-house market research in 2018 found that safety and peace of mind were the top reasons phone users want a satellite-to-cell service. Those motivations, he adds, will likely drive demand and uptake for the service.<\/p>\n<p><script>var AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a693565bf3e0;googletag.cmd.push(function(){var AIMAP_29b58f13885ebf8ea6b032f958eb0748 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([992, 100], [[970, 90], [970, 250]]).addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_737ce075cc05dd766c8f8ea08f3faa73 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1200, 100], [970, 250]).addSize([768, 100], [600, 300]).addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]).build();AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a693565bf3e0 = googletag.defineSlot('\/987\/satellitetoday.com\/via-satellite-digital-issue-ads', [ [600, 300], [300, 250], [970, 250] ], 'div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a693565bf3e1').defineSizeMapping(AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3).setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads());   });<\/script><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a693565bf3e1'); });<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Miller cautions that not every competitor will emerge a winner given that it is a high CapEx  investment, and market success depends on speed to market and serving mobile network operators (MNOs) and customers well.<\/p>\n<p>NSR research backs this up. In its 5G via Satellite, 3rd Edition report, NSR states that the direct satellite-to-device market will be worth $93.1 billion between 2021 and 2031. <\/p>\n<p>Lluc Palerm Serra, principal analyst with NSR (an Analysys Mason company), notes that while the Starlink\/T-Mobile announcement \u201ccreated a lot of hype,\u201d other companies have been working on a satellite-to-cell service for several years now. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor MNOs, they will need to match the quality of service offered by competitors, so all of them will reach agreements with satellite operators to offer ubiquitous coverage,\u201d Serra says.<\/p>\n<p>Andrew Cavalier, industry analyst with ABI Research, says his firm isn\u2019t attaching a revenue forecast to the market at this early stage, but the analyst firm did estimate that the satellite-to-phone service segment will reach up to 6.8 million connections by 2027. ABI Research\u2019s recent research analysis on the Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite services industry goes more in-depth into this segment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith 3GPP advancing standards to connect mobile phones to satellites over a 5G core network and industry players already moving to connect mobile devices to satellites via terrestrial spectrum and LTE, this segment will quickly grow to connect millions,\u201d Cavalier says.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of how quickly satellite-to-cell revenues grow over the coming decade, one thing is clear: the unconnected are a sizable market. Just over half of the world\u2019s premises were connected to fixed broadband, wireless, or satellite broadband service in mid-2021, leaving a sizable gap in the broadband communications market with unserved and underserved premises and communities. ABI Research finds that by 2026, 580 million people will remain uncovered by cellular, 140 million premises will remain uncovered by fixed wireless access, and 966 million premises will remain uncovered by fiber optics.    <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you talk about satellite cellular, you\u2019re on the edges of the trillion-dollar wireless market,\u201d observes Scott Wisniewski, chief strategy officer for AST SpaceMobile, which is targeting space-based cellular broadband with its planned commercial service. <\/p>\n<p>With more than five billion phones in operation and nearly a trillion dollars in capital investment in 5G over the next five to 10 years, this market represents numbers for the satellite sector that \u201care a different ballgame,\u201d Wisniewski says. \u201cThe market reception of SOS, a very limited service, validates that there is a real market out there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><script>var AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a693565bf87a;googletag.cmd.push(function(){var AIMAP_29b58f13885ebf8ea6b032f958eb0748 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([992, 100], [[970, 90], [970, 250]]).addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_737ce075cc05dd766c8f8ea08f3faa73 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1200, 100], [970, 250]).addSize([768, 100], [600, 300]).addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]).build();AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a693565bf87a = googletag.defineSlot('\/987\/satellitetoday.com\/via-satellite-digital-issue-ads', [ [600, 300], [300, 250], [970, 250] ], 'div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a693565bf87b').defineSizeMapping(AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3).setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads());   });<\/script><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a693565bf87b'); });<\/script><\/p>\n<p>In September, both Lynk and AST SpaceMobile had cause to celebrate. First, the FCC approved Lynk\u2019s satellite-to-cell service, needed for the company to launch commercial services and that puts the company ahead of the market. Lynk has six satellites in space and plans to launch three more by year-end and another six satellites in 2023.  <\/p>\n<p>On Sept. 10, AST SpaceMobile\u2019s test satellite, BlueWalker 3, launched into orbit as the largest commercial phased array ever deployed to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) at 693 square feet in size. In the coming months the company plans to begin direct-to-phone in-orbit testing with its mobile network operator (MNO) partners, including Vodafone, Rakuten Mobile, and Orange. The company has regulatory approval to offer commercial service in seven countries in Africa and Asia but won\u2019t debut its service until the launch of five additional satellites late next year, according to Wisniewski.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"flex flex-col justify-center items-center w-full image-block px-8\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Placeholder alt text\" class=\"w-full object-cover mx-auto\" src=\"http:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/EJWCwaXFRlCGrunwNOI3_2022-03-18-BlueWalker-3-BW3-array-Microns.jpg\"><figcaption class=\"p-3 bg-gray-300 bg-opacity-50 italic mx-auto w-full\">The phased array for AST SpaceMobile\u2019s Blue Walker 3 satellite. Photo: AST SpaceMobile<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Tackling Spectrum and Technology Challenges <\/h3>\n<p>Wisniewski contends that the key to ubiquitous global coverage is flexible technology that can support multiple frequencies, given that there are very few globally aligned frequencies. \u201cIn order to tap into phones, you need to have a range of frequencies to offer,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n<p>While many market entrants depend on the spectrum from MNOs or mobile satellite service (MSS) providers to reach consumers, the field of potential partners is limited.  They include LEO providers Globalstar and Iridium and Geostationary Orbit (GEO) players Inmarsat and EchoStar. OmniSpace is a new category of company, with its 5G hybrid mobile network that will rely on telecom operators\u2019 mobile networks on the ground.  <\/p>\n<p>Asked if GEO players might pursue the satellite-to-cell market, many industry insiders expressed doubt. Most GEO providers \u201care not well aligned for the satellite-to-cell market,\u201d says Wisniewski, not only because of the latency issues in GEO, but also because of the complexity and the partner ecosystem the market requires. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo one has all the pieces and that\u2019s why we\u2019ve been at it for so long,\u201d Wisniewski adds.<\/p>\n<p>AST SpaceMobile has worked on its space-based cellular broadband solution since 2017, including teaming up with Nokia for the last two years on core network solutions designed to reduce latency. There is typically a 20 to 40 millisecond delay in LEO, compared to GEO satellites\u2019 500-millisecond delay. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile it\u2019s possible to do texting or emergency service over GEO, to work with the five billion cell phones that exist today, LEO is your best solution,\u201d Wisniewski says.<\/p>\n<p>And despite the progress with making satellite-to-cell service a reality, several technical challenges remain. <\/p>\n<p><script>var AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a693565bff7e;googletag.cmd.push(function(){var AIMAP_29b58f13885ebf8ea6b032f958eb0748 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([992, 100], [[970, 90], [970, 250]]).addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_737ce075cc05dd766c8f8ea08f3faa73 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1200, 100], [970, 250]).addSize([768, 100], [600, 300]).addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]).build();AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a693565bff7e = googletag.defineSlot('\/987\/satellitetoday.com\/via-satellite-digital-issue-ads', [ [600, 300], [300, 250], [970, 250] ], 'div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a693565bff7f').defineSizeMapping(AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3).setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads());   });<\/script><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a693565bff7f'); });<\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cClosing the link with the phone, given the low power levels, is the highest challenge. That\u2019s why these satellites plan to have huge antennas,\u201d says Serra, citing access to spectrum, spectrum coordination and interference as other major issues. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd, for those trying to use MSS bands \u2014 Globalstar, Iridium, OmniSpace \u2014 convincing the mainstream mobile ecosystem to adopt satellite bands can also be a big challenge,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<p>Serra points to two positive indications of positive movement \u2013 the recent 3GPP Release 17, the third installment of the global 5G standard, and the incorporation of satellite into the 5G standard.  <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt seems chipset manufacturers and smartphone brands are ready to incorporate satellite in their future designs. There have already been multiple tests proving the technical feasibility of the model, so we should see a ramp up of services very soon. But do not expect performances matching terrestrial networks, as performances connecting to a satellite will always be lower,\u201d he cautions.<\/p>\n<p>The speed and types of services possible depend on a satellite\u2019s distance to the ground as well as the type of antenna technology used. Globalstar\u2019s constellation is positioned in a higher LEO orbit over 800 miles from Earth, compared with Lynk\u2019s planned 300-400 mile-altitude orbit, and uses smaller antennas with less link margin, Miller says. <\/p>\n<p>Farrar notes that \u201cthe more constrained the link budget, the more burden it puts on the services you can provide, which can limit you to providing a very low data-rate messaging service, which is what Apple and Globalstar are doing.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Companies can compensate for these issues by either installing a more capable antenna in cell phones or deploying a big antenna on the satellites to improve the service. <\/p>\n<p>Spectrum access remains one of the biggest hurdles. Until September\u2019s FCC ruling, Lynk, like AST, was limited to launching outside the United States. And even telecom goliaths like T-Mobile that have spectrum face challenges.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cT-Mobile\u2019s planned service is a little overhyped since they have a lot of regulatory hurdles to clear before they can use the spectrum that they want with SpaceX,\u201d notes Juan Deaton, a research scientist and engineer who has spent half his career in mobile satellite space and the second half in the satellite industry.  \u201cThe FCC rulemaking process will take a while,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<p><script>var AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a693565c086d;googletag.cmd.push(function(){var AIMAP_29b58f13885ebf8ea6b032f958eb0748 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([992, 100], [[970, 90], [970, 250]]).addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_737ce075cc05dd766c8f8ea08f3faa73 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1200, 100], [970, 250]).addSize([768, 100], [600, 300]).addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]).build();AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a693565c086d = googletag.defineSlot('\/987\/satellitetoday.com\/via-satellite-digital-issue-ads', [ [600, 300], [300, 250], [970, 250] ], 'div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a693565c086e').defineSizeMapping(AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3).setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads());   });<\/script><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a693565c086e'); });<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Satellite-to-cell players also face challenges with using terrestrial spectrum that isn\u2019t dedicated for their use. Doing so is \u201cincredibly inefficient, in trying to achieve this co-existence,\u201d says Cavalier of ABI Research. \u201cIf they\u2019re going to operate a satellite service, they need to have dedicated spectrum for that service,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n<p>He notes that there are inherently more capacity limitations for satellite systems (design\/antennae size, constellation size, and power) than terrestrial systems. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith satellites there is path loss and doppler effect which needs to be accounted for, which makes using mid-band terrestrial spectrum less efficient with satellite systems, alongside the fact that regulation hasn\u2019t caught up on this front,\u201d Cavalier says.<\/p>\n<p>He anticipates that the U.S. and FCC will likely approve new radio non-terrestrial networks with companies with dedicated spectrum that have direct-to-mobile links from satellites, likely before the companies with terrestrial spectrum will.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not a given \u2013 there\u2019s a lot of road bumps these companies need to overcome,\u201d Cavalier predicts. <\/p>\n<h3>Business Models: To Pay or Not to Pay<\/h3>\n<p>When it comes to business models, companies are embracing different strategies to attract users. Apple will offer its service for free for the first two years. T-Mobile has also said that it will not charge for full messaging access via SpaceX\u2019s Starlink satellites. Still other market entrants may opt to charge for the service. Lynk and AST SpaceMobile deliver connectivity through MNOs, who will set their own rates for selling direct to consumers.<\/p>\n<p>Farrar says most consumers expect messaging to be free, since they are used to getting it included as part of their mobile plan, which would leave the cost of the service to be covered by either the handset manufacturer or the mobile operator. He adds that to get consumers to pay for a service, it will need to be \u201ca lot more comparable to what they would get from their terrestrial network.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s in line with T-Mobile and SpaceX\u2019s intent to expand from emergency assistance to include text and picture messaging services for U.S. users in late 2023, followed later by other high-bandwidth capabilities.<\/p>\n<p>SpaceX\u2019s plans echo the focus of AST SpaceMobile to eventually offer 5G-like services that can support tens of megabits per second services and potentially work indoors. But some industry experts emphasize that data, not voice services, are the future.<\/p>\n<p><script>var AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a693565c0f94;googletag.cmd.push(function(){var AIMAP_29b58f13885ebf8ea6b032f958eb0748 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([992, 100], [[970, 90], [970, 250]]).addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_737ce075cc05dd766c8f8ea08f3faa73 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1200, 100], [970, 250]).addSize([768, 100], [600, 300]).addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]).build();AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a693565c0f94 = googletag.defineSlot('\/987\/satellitetoday.com\/via-satellite-digital-issue-ads', [ [600, 300], [300, 250], [970, 250] ], 'div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a693565c0f95').defineSizeMapping(AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3).setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads());   });<\/script><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a693565c0f95'); });<\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe data platform is the future here. Voice even in emergency circumstances isn\u2019t as effective as texting with GPS,\u201d says one seasoned telecom executive. <\/p>\n<p>Other sources stress that it will take more than messaging to attract tens of millions or hundreds of millions of people to pay for a service. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s the big question \u2013 whether it\u2019s realistic to expect 5G-like services or a service that works indoors or in challenged environments,\u201d says Farrar. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to wait and see. Ultimately, this is all going to come down to user experience \u2013 what services are provided, what people are prepared to pay for and whether that\u2019s the operator, the handset manufacturer or the end customer. That\u2019s been the killer issue for all these MSS systems in the past \u2013 what is the service experience and is it something people are prepared to pay for?\u201d <strong class=\"Annotation -strong\">VS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>,<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"widget-title\">In This Issue<\/h2>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 405210:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/i1G5tB95SweCetyPhlBf_VS_120122_DGTL_2022-300x225.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/i1G5tB95SweCetyPhlBf_VS_120122_DGTL_2022-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/i1G5tB95SweCetyPhlBf_VS_120122_DGTL_2022-800x599.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/i1G5tB95SweCetyPhlBf_VS_120122_DGTL_2022-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/i1G5tB95SweCetyPhlBf_VS_120122_DGTL_2022.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t2022: An Eventful Year in Satcom<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3 d-block d-md-none\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 405197:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/xNqPKifTDOY8M0YEx7Xy_VS_120122_DGTL_Globalstar-300x225.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/xNqPKifTDOY8M0YEx7Xy_VS_120122_DGTL_Globalstar-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/xNqPKifTDOY8M0YEx7Xy_VS_120122_DGTL_Globalstar-800x599.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/xNqPKifTDOY8M0YEx7Xy_VS_120122_DGTL_Globalstar-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/xNqPKifTDOY8M0YEx7Xy_VS_120122_DGTL_Globalstar.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tGlobalstar\u2019s Apple Deal Puts CEO David Kagan in the Perfect SPOT to Think Big<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 405204:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gl3xV93oRQqz6SFETpMQ_VS_120122_DGTL_Regional-300x225.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gl3xV93oRQqz6SFETpMQ_VS_120122_DGTL_Regional-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gl3xV93oRQqz6SFETpMQ_VS_120122_DGTL_Regional-800x599.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gl3xV93oRQqz6SFETpMQ_VS_120122_DGTL_Regional-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gl3xV93oRQqz6SFETpMQ_VS_120122_DGTL_Regional.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tRegional Operators: What is Their Place in the New Satellite World?<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3 d-block d-md-none\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 405214:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"161\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GEgeY3NMSDuMfjofuxUh_cSwhCntDS7iFRbn9NbFW_NBt6AT0R9mtm1gyymvpg_op6PpmXdRfaoTS46VpKx_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-300x161.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GEgeY3NMSDuMfjofuxUh_cSwhCntDS7iFRbn9NbFW_NBt6AT0R9mtm1gyymvpg_op6PpmXdRfaoTS46VpKx_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-300x161.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GEgeY3NMSDuMfjofuxUh_cSwhCntDS7iFRbn9NbFW_NBt6AT0R9mtm1gyymvpg_op6PpmXdRfaoTS46VpKx_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-800x431.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GEgeY3NMSDuMfjofuxUh_cSwhCntDS7iFRbn9NbFW_NBt6AT0R9mtm1gyymvpg_op6PpmXdRfaoTS46VpKx_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-640x345.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GEgeY3NMSDuMfjofuxUh_cSwhCntDS7iFRbn9NbFW_NBt6AT0R9mtm1gyymvpg_op6PpmXdRfaoTS46VpKx_Opinion_Bubbles_Web.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tThe Coming Era of Satellite Direct-to-Handset Connectivity<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 405217:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"167\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/uo3IvlxTE6Rerv4cXKu4_ED_Note-300x167.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/uo3IvlxTE6Rerv4cXKu4_ED_Note-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/uo3IvlxTE6Rerv4cXKu4_ED_Note-800x446.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/uo3IvlxTE6Rerv4cXKu4_ED_Note-640x357.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/uo3IvlxTE6Rerv4cXKu4_ED_Note.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tThe New Normal in Satellite<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3 d-block d-md-none\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At any given moment around the world, 15 percent of the planet\u2019s 5.2 billion mobile phone users are not connected, according to research conducted by Lynk, the first company to demonstrate a satellite-to-mobile-phone satellite constellation. What if those disconnections \u2013 from being in a remote area far from terrestrial signals or cut off from cell [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54358,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54357"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54357"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54357\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}