Deutsche Telekom, in collaboration with Qualcomm and Skylo, has successfully conducted Europe’s first operator-native trial of SMS messaging over geostationary (GEO) satellites. This achievement integrates terrestrial mobile networks with satellite communication, enabling users to send and receive text messages in areas lacking traditional cellular coverage. The trial, conducted on Deutsche Telekom’s Cosmote network in Greece, utilized the Snapdragon X80 5G Modem-RF System and adhered to the 3GPP Release 17 specifications for Direct-to-Handset (D2H) connectivity. This development aims to provide seamless global messaging services without the need for additional applications or hardware.
This advancement is part of a broader industry trend toward integrating satellite connectivity into consumer smartphones. For instance, in September 2024, T-Mobile, in partnership with SpaceX, successfully tested sending emergency alerts via Starlink satellites in the United States. This test demonstrated the potential for satellite networks to deliver critical communications to users beyond the reach of terrestrial cell towers.
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