Imagine you are in the middle of the desert, your phone has no signal, yet you can still send messages or share your location for help. This is what the UAE has come closer to in a new experiment.

Abu Dhabi-based Space42, in collaboration with American company Skylo Technologies, tested the direct communication of a regular Android phone with the Thuraya-4 satellite.

In this experiment, the phone, without an antenna or separate satellite equipment, was able to send and receive two-way SMS and emergency SOS requests. This communication was done through the SIM card and operator identification system, without the need for fundamental changes in the mobile network.

Of course, there is currently no news of full internet, unlimited calls, or video streaming. The current technology is mainly designed for messaging, location sharing, and emergency communication; as Thuraya-4 is located about 36,000 kilometers above the Earth, sending large amounts of data to a small phone has technical limitations.

The ultimate goal is for the phone to connect to the mobile network when ground signal is available and automatically switch to satellite as soon as coverage is lost; without the user even noticing this change.

Space42 has also reached a preliminary agreement with e& UAE to explore technical collaborations, permits, and field tests.

If this technology is implemented at a reasonable price and on a large scale, one day not having a mobile signal may no longer mean losing communication; whether you are in the heart of the desert or in an area outside the network coverage.
Source: Gulf Times