Skylo to Surpass T-Mobile, Bring Satellite Phone Calls into Reality

In the ever-evolving world of satellite direct-to-device communication, Skylo Technologies is making waves with its innovative NTN Voice Calling service. This groundbreaking technology gives Skylo Technologies a competitive edge, setting it apart in a crowded market.

Skylo Technologies, a company specializing in non-terrestrial network (NTN) communications, has secured authorized coverage in most of Europe, North America, Australasia, and parts of South America. This extensive reach is a significant step forward for the company, which previously offered only mobile messaging services.

The NTN Voice Calling service, according to Skylo co-founder and chief product officer Tarun Gupta, is something no other network can deliver at global commercial scale. The service aims to provide commercial voice services over satellite via ordinary smartphones, a feat that other telcos and satellite providers are eagerly pursuing.

Skylo Technologies' carrier customers will set their own pricing for the new service offerings they develop for their subscribers. The company's ability to support voice calls is attributed to its newly developed Skylo Voice Gateway, which uses advanced compression (AI-based, it claims). This gateway translates communications from the satellite link into the standard protocols used by cell operator networks.

The service is intended for use when users are out of range of a mobile operator's cell towers, such as in rural areas. The voice feature will only be available on the latest premium devices, like the Google Pixel and the Samsung Galaxy, as they have NB-NTN compatible chipsets.

Other players in the satellite network extension for Voice-over-Satellite services for smartphones include AST SpaceMobile and competitors such as Starlink. AST SpaceMobile aims to provide direct-to-device (D2D) communication from low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to standard mobile phones, addressing coverage in remote areas. AST SpaceMobile collaborates with partners such as the Saudi Telecommunication Company and plans to offer these services in the USA and Europe, though specific European partner providers with AST SpaceMobile were not explicitly named.

While Starlink claims it can get its satellite service on all 4G/5G smartphones, it does not offer voice services yet. NB-NTN, the technology used by Skylo Technologies, is only supported in a limited number of smartphones, including the Google Pixel 9, Pixel 10, and some Samsung Galaxy devices such as the S25.

As the race for global satellite direct-to-device communication continues, other telcos and satellite providers are on Skylo Technologies' tail. T-Mobile/Starlink plans to expand to voice and data in the near future, and Vodafone aims to offer a commercial direct-to-cell service in Europe starting later this year. Skylo Technologies expects adoption of its service by next year, subject to various factors.

In the competitive landscape of satellite communication, Skylo Technologies' NTN Voice Calling service is a game-changer, promising to bridge the gap in connectivity for users in remote areas.