Vodafone successfully made a phone call to space using a normal smartphone
A Vodafone engineer by the name of José Guevara just made history by becoming the first person to answer a space-based 5G internet call.
In a shared press release, Vodafone said it has successfully completed the calling trial, together with AST SpaceMobile (a US-based listed satellite designer and manufacturer).
Guevara, based in Spain, took the call from Hawaii using a regular Samsung Galaxy S22 smartphone, just like the ones anyone can buy. The call was made via AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 test satellite. According to Vodafone, this is the “largest commercial communications array deployed in low Earth orbit.”
Improving connectivity around the world
At the same time, AST Space Mobile also tested mobile internet over the same infrastructure and apparently broke its previous record. This time, the researchers achieved a download speed of almost 14 Mbps, it was said, with Vodafone adding that this new technology has the potential to bring mobile internet to even the most remote areas of the planet.
Commenting on the news, Margherita Della Valle, Chief Executive of Vodafone Group, said the company aims to “close the mobile usage gap” for millions of people in Europe and Africa: “By delivering the world’s first space-based 5G to make a call to Europe, have taken another important step in realizing that ambition. We are excited to be at the forefront of space technology through our partnership with AST SpaceMobile.”
This test marks another important milestone in AST SpaceMobile’s goal to launch five commercial BlueBird satellites, scheduled for the first quarter of 2024. By using low-Earth orbit satellites for this type of connectivity, the telecom provider hopes to improve mobile communications (both voice and data) to places. where no physical infrastructure has been constructed (or is challenging/expensive due to the landscape).