MTN is stepping up its satellite communications efforts with the completion of a trial call made from a mobile device directly through a satellite.
Once upon a time making a call using satellites required large, expensive and clunky devices known as “satellite phones”. Technology has since evolved and such services are now more accessible.
SA’s second-largest mobile operator said it carried out a successful technical trial on Thursday of “Africa’s first satellite-to-mobile device phone call” in North West province, in partnership with low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite provider Lynk Global.
For MTN covering gaps in its network is the biggest strategic value the group sees in satellites.
“The call in Vryburg enables MTN and Lynk Global to test voice call quality and SMS capabilities over a LEO satellite connection. The technical trial was part of our work to find potential solutions to the challenges of providing coverage in underserviced, rural and remote areas,” said MTN SA CEO Charles Molapisi.
In recent years LEO satellites have grown in favour as a way to plug these gaps, with Starlink being the best-known such service. The main reason for the growth in LEO satellite use is the cost. Transporting equipment into space is now much cheaper than it was decades ago, in part because space rockets are now reusable — as demonstrated by SpaceX.
In terms of connectivity, the two disadvantages with traditional satellite technology have to do with latency (the time it takes for signals to reach their destination) and limited bandwidth (the amount of data that can travel through a signal). Fibre and mobile are therefore seen as superior forms of access.
Low-altitude satellites improve on this, offering faster speeds, mainly because they are closer to the ground. By launching many such satellites into the sky, creating a constellation, operators have been able to cover the main challenges associated with the technology. Thanks to these advances, operators predict that some functions of ground base stations and cellphone towers will be taken into the sky.
This is at the heart of what MTN was trying to prove with this week’s trial.
Molapisi said the call marks proof of concept of MTN’s ability to complement its ground-based cell towers and other infrastructure with LEO satellites.
“The implications of potentially leveraging satellite partnerships will not only help MTN achieve its goal of 99% broadband population coverage, but most importantly benefit all South Africans,” he said.
MTN says direct satellite-to-phone contact offers several other potential benefits, including enabling the development of mass notification capabilities for critical alerts such as weather warnings, health advisories and humanitarian updates.
Globally, there is a move by smartphone manufacturers to enable consumer devices to communicate directly with satellites. Apple has had this capability for emergency calls on its iPhone line of smartphones since 2022 with the introduction of the iPhone 14.
MTN is working to ensure that their technology works with any device.
LEO satellites typically orbit Earth at altitudes of between 160km and 2,000km, meaning orbital periods are between 90 minutes and a few hours.
“This is suitable for applications that need rapid data communication or frequent revisits of specific areas. Importantly, this technology is device-agnostic, ensuring compatibility with existing mobile units and requiring no special modifications,” said MTN.
Vryburg, an agricultural town that is home to about 21,000 people, became the site for the trial following Icasa’s approval of the use of radio frequencies on MTN’s licensed spectrum for the duration of the trial.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.