We’ve all been there before, whether as an adventurer stranded in the middle of nowhere without help or a teenager trying desperately to upload a picture on Instagram. In all cases, not finding network coverage when you need it can be quite frustrating.
But for those nerdy enough to understand how smartphones work, on earth, you need what are called as cellphone towers which beam cellular signals from one to the other. Now, how about such a tower in space? Mobiles connected to satellites in space will solve all connectivity issues like dropped calls or no signals, right? There are two hindrances to this solution, though. 1st is what is called a Doppler shift, & then there is the extended range problem which will cause signal delays.
But a small startup called ‘UbiquitiLink’, working in the shadows for a while, has finally come forward with technology that will effectively solve all such problems. With this technology, the problem of outdoor dead zones anywhere in the world will be finally solved.
UbiquitiLink has been working on its plan in conjunction with big names like Vodafone & 16 other network operators. It came out of stealth mode just a few days ago. By being able to beam signals to new & existing smartphones, UbiquitiLink aims to connect pocket phones directly to satellites in space 250 miles away. Earlier this year, the company completed successful testing over 2G signals & hopes to start testing 4G LTE signals by this summer.
What UbiquitiLink offers isn’t an entirely new. Mobiles connected to satellites is not a radically new tech. The company which is located in Walls Falls, Virginia USA isn’t the only one planning to offer faster & more robust satellite-based mobile services. Already, some satellite providers are able to connect to some specific smartphones that are mostly built to purpose. The essential difference in what these companies do & what UbiquitiLink offers is the advantage of being able to connect to virtually any of the existing smartphones. This means users will not have to buy new phones to connect to the company’s satellite.
So how does UbiquitiLink intend to make money from this service? Basically, what the company wants to do is to launch its own fleet of low orbit satellites into space that would provide services to smartphones all over the world. Access to these satellites will then be sold to Mobile operators.
However, the 1st step of the process will be to raise funds for the satellite launch. Already, UbiquitiLink has raised about US $6.5 million in seed capital & hopes to raise an additional $30 million which should be enough to launch 3 to 6 low earth orbit satellites that will provide connection to almost any location on the planet. With time & continuous success, UbiquitiLink may very well increase its fleet of “phone-connected” satellites to up to 4000; thus blasting uninterrupted connections to new & existing smartphones in every corner of the planet for a strong & uninterrupted coverage.
Image Credit: UbiquitiLink
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