MediaTek promises a better satellite connection than its competitors, and it will be possible to use it in any new smartphones.
Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek is jumping into the race to bring consumers to the satellite messaging service previously announced by Qualcomm and Apple, Engadget writes.
It is planned that at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) the company will present its chips and devices with satellite communication support. According to experts, most likely MediaTek will show smartphones Motorola Defy 2 and CAT S75, equipped with a new chip with support for the service.
Previously, Qualcomm and Apple have announced that they will promote the satellite SMS feature in their devices. This will be an exclusive service in the networks of mobile operators, which is paid separately. We are talking about SMS, and not about voice messages or satellite Internet.
The standalone chipset from MediaTek can be built into any new model of smartphones with 4G or 5G support. The processor uses the 3GPP Non-Terrestrial Network standard for communication instead of proprietary technologies from Qualcomm and Apple, which means that it is compatible with any network that complies with the standard.
But the main feature of MediaTek chips will be the possibility of two-way communication, ie. the user will be able not only to send messages, but also to receive them. It is important to note that Apple has already released smartphones that support satellite SMS, but they can only receive messages. Qualcomm promises that its chips will also have two-way communication.
MediaTek compares its advantages with competitors
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In general, the service of receiving and sending satellite messages is planned to be introduced as an additional service to the offers of operators and it is intended for people who often visit remote places on the planet where there are communication problems. Satellite SMS rates vary and depend on the carrier. On average, they range from $5 per month and above.
Earlier, Focus wrote that it was satellite communications that would become one of the trends in telecommunications and IT in 2023.
