Ode to the Ghostly Communicator Orbiting High Above
Satellite Phones: From Early Experiments to Modern Connectivity Solutions
We take the convenience of cell service for granted, but there are places where cell signals don't reach – from deserts and forests to oceans. For jobs that require constant communication, even during emergencies like hurricanes, satellite phones serve as a reliable solution. But it wasn't always like this. Before the advent of technology that allows ordinary cell phones to connect to satellites, satellite phones were the only option.
Let's take a trip down memory lane and explore the history and evolution of these remarkable devices.
A Brief Overview
The first satellite to transmit voice signals was part of the U.S. government's Project SCORE, launched in the 1960s. This marked the starting point for satellite-based voice relay, demonstrating the possibility of using orbiting satellites to carry telephone communications beyond terrestrial networks.
The idea of a truly global satellite phone system seemed too costly for any single country, but it was a boon for ships at sea. In 1979, Inmarsat was established as a UN organization to create a satellite network for naval operations, eventually growing to operate 15 satellites and becoming a private British-based company in 1998.
Other companies like Thuraya, Iridium, and GlobalStar emerged in the late 1990s, offering competition to Inmarsat.
The Television vs. Reality Scene
Satellite phones on TV and in movies are simple: you pull out your phone with a bulkier-than-usual antenna and make a call. But the real-life version is quite different. While some satellite phones were connected to ships, in this post, we're considering a handheld satellite phone – a device smaller and more portable.
However, during the Cold War era, the USSR also had its own satellite systems – Volna, Morya, and military satellites.
Location, Location, Location
Early satellites made one orbit of the Earth each day, keeping them at a specific height. Higher orbits would cause the Earth to appear to move under the satellite, while lower orbits would have the satellite racing around the Earth. This meant that coverage was reasonable as long as you could "see" the satellite in the sky. But it required better transmitters, receivers, and antennas.
Inmarsat and Thuraya worked well until there were special arrangements needed to cover more than 40% of the Earth. Other companies like Iridium and GlobalStar wanted an alternative – satellites in lower orbits that could provide global coverage with less complexity.
The system is more complex since each satellite is only overhead for a few minutes, and you have to constantly switch between orbiting "cell towers." But this can be an advantage because you might get blocked from one satellite by, say, a mountain, and just pick up a different one instead.
The Problems
Geosynchronous satellites won't work if you're too far North or South, since the satellite will be so low, it'll collide with trees and mountains. They don't work if you're on the wrong side of the world, either, unless there's a network of them. Getting a signal indoors is tricky, and this isn't cheap.
Prices vary, but soon after the release, phones started at around $1,300, and then you paid $7 a minute to talk. Today, expect to pay between $50 and $150 a month, plus per-minute charges ranging from $0.25 to $1.50 per minute. This is a far cry from the "cheap," handheld satellite phone size we saw on TV and in movies.
Modern pricing is a bit harder to figure out because of all the different plans. However, in general, networks with less coverage are cheaper than those that work everywhere. Text messages are extra, so is data.
These earlier systems likely won't catch on with the mass market. But with providers developing ways to link normal cell phones to a satellite network and a possible drop in hacker costs, who knows what the future holds for satellite phones? After all, we can always hope, right?
Satellite phones, a vital solution for communication in remote and emergency situations, were the precursors to modern connectivity solutions, even before ordinary cell phones could connect to satellites. Fast-forward to the late 1990s, gadgets such as Thuraya, Iridium, and GlobalStar entered the market, offering competition and pushing the boundaries of satellite technology.
In the initial phases, satellite phones required superior transmitters, receivers, and antennas to maintain coverage, making them more complex than their TV and movie counterparts. However, technology advances continue to bring improvements, with some recent developments focusing on linking normal cell phones to a satellite network.
