An increased area of technology companies will spend millions of dollars on space satellites this year so that you can keep textting. Their goal is to build a global satellite network so that phones, computers, cars and people never lose coverage.
This will not replace the cellular service you pay from companies like Verizone and AT&T, but it will be an additional benefit to cover the dead zone. This means, you may soon have an option to make additional payments to get satellite texting on your phone, while you climb the mountains or get stuck in the emergency from the grid.
These direct-to-device networks-sometimes called non-restless networks or D2D networks-are able to stay connected through satellites in space. For rural communities or businesses working in remote areas, this coverage can bridge the interval that is not served by cell towers and antennas on the earth.
Satellite -linked phones and devices are not a new concept. Iridium, a satellite communications firm in Virginia, introduced his satellite mobile phone in the late 1990s. But, before everyone had a phone in their pocket.
Today, this idea is being adopted as a new Avenue to make more wide money. The pace behind adding cars, cows and entire industries to satellite networks and more companies is increasing not only phones, but cars, cows and entire industries.
Apple invested $ 450 million to the satellite communications firm Globalstar to bring emergency SOS texting in its latest iPhones. Elon Musk’s SpaceX has participated with T-Mobiles to offer satellite texting to American customers in the coming year.
And the latest player to put his flag in a direct-to-device place is Viassat in Southern California.
Carlsbad-based telecommunications company has partnered with a non-astronomical network service provider Sciles Technologies to provide direct-to-device services globally. This IOT marks a new revenue opportunity for viasat in space, which was not done earlier, it was not done earlier, said Anton Monk, vice -president of the wireless initiative at WiSAT.
“We are partnered with (Skilo) because (their infrastructure) plugs directly into our entrance around the world and it allows us to offer services through our satellite network anywhere worldwide,” the monk said.
The scheme is to roll out and then expand globally using Ligado Skytra Satellite Network in North America earlier this year.
The company insisted that this would be the first global direct-to-device network of the industry as it connects the release of Skils-17-based satellite technology and Viasat’s licensed spectrum holdings.
This means that once new industry standard chipsets have been developed which work with ViSAT satellites, cell phones will be able to communicate anywhere in the world using chips. This approach also means that frequencies working on these devices will be authorized for use globally and are not intervened with other technology, the monk said.
In contrast, some companies such as SpaceX are taking a non-standard-driven approach that may work with some unmodified smartphone models. It depends on different frequencies from space satellites and terrestrial antenna within the network of fellow phone carriers, such as T-Mobiles, to cover specific areas.
How big is the direct-to-device market?
According to the report, a report by Deloite that predicts the direct-to-device network will be a top trend for the telecom industry. Companies can spend more than $ 3 billion on satellite construction this year and launch to enable this technique.
The size of the market has not yet been determined. The monk stated that the estimate of industry analysts is much widespread than annual global revenue of $ 15 billion to $ 40 billion.
“Nobody really knows,” the monk said about the evaluation of the market. “But we are taking the opportunity to enter this market with a very low obstruction for entry.”
Viasat plans to build on its existing assets, including satellites from its merger with Inmarsat. Since Viasat stopped acquiring $ 7 billion of the European satellite firm last year, he has not wasted any time in taking advantage of these satellites in his business strategy.
Last week, Viasat announced that it is part of a new industry trade group called Mobile Satellite Services Association, focused on stakeholders who are building direct-to-device networks. Other founding members include ligado networks, omnispace, terrestar solutions and taste.
The President of the International Organization is the CEO of Viasat, Mark Dankberg, who said in the announcement that “integrating satellite connectivity in consumer mobile equipment is a transformational opportunity for the satellite industry.”
Although it is still in the early stages, it depends on the partnership between the growing ecosystem device manufacturers, chip-makers, network providers, satellite companies and telecom firms to remove it from the ground.
There are some ways to connect equipment to satellites. Standard -based approaches of viasat depend on manufacturers preparing future devices with satellite capabilities. In some cases, it may be a road to launch dynamic a network.
For example, Qualcomm of San Diego abolished a partnership with the satellite-provider iridium in November, which is less than a year of planning to compete with Apple’s SOS phone facility. The local chip-producer stated that although their proprietary technology was successfully developed, Android smartphone makers opted to not include it in their equipment.
Will consumers pay more to join satellites?
One of the big questions related to the direct-to-device network is: How many people are there-especially those who live in the suburbs or city-are ready to pay for the devices associated with the soul?
Tim Farrar, a technology advisor with TMF Associates, who has more than 20 years of experience in the telecom industry, said that this looming question is one of the reasons why it is difficult to pin a price for this market.
He explained another question for this segment as to how these companies define success and the scale they want to operate.
In the case of Viasat, the monk stated that in non-level networks it takes advantage of its acquisition of Forest Inmarsat, takes advantage of its existing license and expands its business strategy in the IOT segment. Viasat is still investigating cases of use for network, but some services may include consumers smartphone equipment, automotive and defense applications.
“Viasat already has a orbit of these satellites that they are using for many other purposes, so they do not require much revenue and use to succeed on their terms,” said Farrar. “But, if you are Apple or Samsung and you are making smartphones in millions, if there are not hundreds of millions every year, you are only going to move the needle if you sell to a lot of consumers.”
The monk satellite reflects the ability to become a standard feature on the phone for messaging, leading to additional commercial models such as the premium version of the application. From there, it will depend on mobile network operators, such as AT & T, T-Mobile and Verizone, to marketing these capabilities to consumers.
Additionally, some companies already sell satellite connected devices to consumers for a monthly fee, which is useful for outsiders who are traveling or camping from the grid.
These non-level networks also apply to government use and commercial enterprises. An example is being used by the monk already used to tag cows in agriculture. These internet connected tags talk to a satellite and transmit valuable data to farmers, such as the location and health of livestock.
Furrrrrrrr is confident that direct-to-device networks offer interesting and new abilities. However, he is less confident that this section is going to be a big money manufacturer.
Another obstacle to adopt a direct-to-device network in its current position is limited capabilities. Currently, network supports only basic text messages – not voice calls, sending media or video streaming.
Farrr said that the average person can rarely use these features. Nevertheless, a satellite is currently required to be out to connect to the signal, in the open with an uninterrupted view of the sky.
For those companies, they are looking for this technique on smartphones, hedging their stakes on consumers and pay more for it, Furrr has not historically worked. But for companies such as Viasat who play in markets, such as defense, are interesting opportunities.
In 1990, the first crack of iridium in satellite phones for consumers was the failure on its original terms. However, the company adapted technology to be useful for specific cases, such as soldiers on the battlefield.
Apple’s latest iPhones including SOS feature, did not see a huge increase in sales, or people said for free feature, Farrar said. And the future price for this facility is still unknown. In November, Apple offered another year.
“There are definitely interesting opportunities here,” the absconding said. “Unknown is actually the degree for which consumers actually cares, and we have 25 years of learning in most cases, till date, we have not seen a lot of evidence that they care.”
He said that it would soon be clear whether the consumer expectations of pricing and service quality are met as more direct-device networks than next year.
The story originally appeared in San Diego Union-Tribune.