Imagine getting up to 100Mbps fast internet speed straight from the sky to your ordinary mobile phone without any towers – and that too in remote areas. This is no longer just a fantasy. American space tech company AST SpaceMobile has done such a technological feat that it has attracted the attention of the entire telecom industry.
The company has successfully tested/launched a new generation of satellites named “Block 1 BlueBird” under its ambitious satellite network, which aims to directly connect normal 4G/5G mobile phones from space. This technology is based on the “Direct-to-Cell” model, which means the user will not need any additional device or special hardware.
According to reports, with the help of this technology, users can get internet speed up to 100Mbps, which is considered equal to the normal mobile network or in many cases even better than that. The special thing is that this facility can work even in areas where network towers are not yet accessible – such as hilly areas, maritime areas or rural areas.
“Block 1 BlueBird” satellites are deployed in Earth’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO), from where they can directly connect to mobile devices and transfer data. This technology can reduce the dependence on traditional telecom infrastructure to a great extent.
Tech experts believe that if this technology is successful on a large scale, then the definition of mobile network can completely change in the coming times. While till now towers and fiber networks were necessary for the internet, satellite based mobile internet may become a new standard in the future.
AST SpaceMobile aims to bring connectivity to the billions of people around the world who are still deprived of stable and fast internet. The company also claims that their technology has been designed to work directly with existing smartphones, so users will not need to make any changes.
However, experts also believe that there are still some challenges left in implementing this technology on a large scale, such as increasing the number of satellites, maintaining network stability and gaining global regulatory approval. Despite this, this project is being considered a major change in the field of telecom and space technology.