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AT&T Introduces Satellite-Enabled Smart Phone

Posted by timothy on from the each-bit-is-gold-plated dept.

crimeandpunishment writes "Here's one way to deal with spotty cell phone coverage: backstop the network on a satellite. AT&T is now selling its first satellite-enabled smart phone....which could be invaluable for boaters, forest rangers, and others who regularly leave regular cellular coverage areas. But the TerreStar Genus comes with a hefty price tag: $799.....and the data costs are as sky-high as the satellite....400 times more than a standard plan. It also has to have a clear view of the southern sky, which means it can only be used outdoors."

10 of 140 comments (clear)

  1. DirecWay to the rescue! by poptones · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Why hasn't someone created a device like this that uses the widely available direcway/blue sky technology? Given the maximum per channel bandwidth and the relatively small needs of a voice communication device it seems like a fairly low power device should be able to function with acceptable psnr.

    1. Re:DirecWay to the rescue! by MasseKid · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The 2Ghz link is nice for being unaffected by weather, however you're going to need a very large dish or a huge SSPA/HPA to get enough output. Remembering that beam width varies linearly with frequency, a ~40Ghz Ka band is going to start at 13dB more gain from a similar dish verses a low end S band signal. One of the reasons it takes such a huge dish on the satellite. Now, my quick math is putting an 18m beamwidth at only .58 degrees at 2ghz. That's hardly enough to cover all of America, and in fact the 3dB beam would only be 220 miles across. Something with the math just doesn't add up.

  2. Texting by timeOday · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Voice via satellite is still too expensive; instead they should offer satellite texting at a reasonable price. At least then you're still connected.

    1. Re:Texting by timeOday · · Score: 4, Interesting

      PS the article says texts are "40 cents each, only four times the piece rate for cell phone." That's way too much, just as 10 cents for a regular text is a complete ripoff. 40 cents each works out to around $3000/MB, whereas (non-texting) satellite data on the same phone costs $5/MB. It really makes me wonder how they come up with these prices.

  3. Anyone remember Iridium? by Charles+Dodgeson · · Score: 2, Interesting

    In the late the late 80s, Motorola had a scheme to launch 77 LEO satellites to provide global satellite coverage. I thought it was a great idea at the time, and bought a bunch of Motorola stock. It didn't work out very well. They eventually launched 66 satellites, but didn't change the name of the project to whatever has atomic number 66.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridium_satellite_constellation

    --
    Prime numbers are exactly what Alan Greenspan says they are -S. Minsky
    1. Re:Anyone remember Iridium? by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The US government loves it. They are a major customer. No surprise, they have people operating in areas that have shit cell coverage and they want to maintain communication.

  4. uh no by poptones · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Iridium uses its own network of satellites. Iridium is expensive. A direcway subscription is like 60 bucks a month with about 600MB a day allotment. Seems they could partner with a phone provider to offer a 10MB a day channel for a pretty low fee, what's needed is a means of accessing the technology.

  5. Re:Yawn... by clang_jangle · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This isn't groundbreaking tech.

    I never said it was, AC. Never said it was a good deal, either.

    If you are going far enough out to need sat coverage either get one of these for 15 bucks a month and call it day.

    Actually according to the link you provided it's $15/month access fee, plus $0.99 per minute, plus $595 for the phone itself (it's "on sale", regularly $699). I'm sure there are plenty of other charges you only find out about once you sign up too, just like every other telecommunications deal.

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    Caveat Utilitor
  6. Way cheaper than Iridium for Boaters by boogahboogah · · Score: 2, Interesting

    At 40 cents a minute, it is way cheaper than all other Sat phones, and would be great for marine use.

    Too bad they will only target the US, that leaves any cruising boats out of the picture once they venture away from the shores of the US (_sigh_).

  7. Re:Yay this is awsome. by catmistake · · Score: 2, Interesting

    As long as someone else pays the bill...like the government (ie forest ranger)

    I don't mean to pick, and basically agree with you... but, presumably, forest rangers work in a forest. Forget cell, it doesn't go through trees... and if you have a view of the southern sky, you're probably in a desert not a forest. Forest rangers need good RF, not cell or satellite. I speak, of course, without knowing anything about which I speak.

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    The Admin and the Engineer