AT&T appears to be closer to letting every iPhone since the iPhone 12 make voice calls and texts via satellite, using 5G.
Render of an AT&T/AST SpaceMobile satellite in orbit
Render of an AT&T/AST SpaceMobile satellite in orbit
AT&T has been working on bringing satellite broadband and specifically voice calls to smartphones for at least six years. In that time, Apple became the first smartphone maker to introduce an Emergency SOS via Satellite service.
Apple’s service is confined to text messaging, but AT&T is claiming full 5G broadband via its system. The companies say that they have achieved voice calls in testing, but have offer no details about performance as of yet.
AT&T plans satellite voice calls and broadband for 5G iPhones
AT&T plans satellite voice calls and broadband for 5G iPhones