In a live event today, T‑Mobile and SpaceX announced Coverage Above and Beyond: a breakthrough new plan to bring cell phone connectivity nearly everywhere.
“The vast majority of smartphones already on T-Mobile’s network will be compatible with the new service using the device’s existing radio.”
“Text messaging, including SMS, MMS and participating messaging apps, will empower customers to stay connected and share experiences nearly everywhere.”
Yeah, this is interesting, and apparently based on some micro-sat company’s technology that SpaceX bought 1-2 years ago.
On a side-node: China’s Baidu GPS-like also includes a similar technology for bi-directional communication that was launched a few weeks ago, but for now it seems to be more targeted at rescue services in east-Asia.
Yeah, this is interesting, and apparently based on some micro-sat company’s technology that SpaceX bought 1-2 years ago.
What makes you think that? I guess you’re talking about Swarm Technologies? I don’t think that is what the T-Mobile announcement is about though… it sounds like that network is for extremely low bandwidth sensors etc rather than something as big as MMS and other messaging apps.
Slight correction: Beidou, not Baidu. Baidu is a Chinese search engine. Beidou is the Chinese word for the north star, a classic symbol of navigation, which is why they chose that name for their GPS competitor.
Yeah, this is interesting, and apparently based on some micro-sat company’s technology that SpaceX bought 1-2 years ago.
On a side-node: China’s Baidu GPS-like also includes a similar technology for bi-directional communication that was launched a few weeks ago, but for now it seems to be more targeted at rescue services in east-Asia.
What makes you think that? I guess you’re talking about Swarm Technologies? I don’t think that is what the T-Mobile announcement is about though… it sounds like that network is for extremely low bandwidth sensors etc rather than something as big as MMS and other messaging apps.
Ah yes maybe. Ah recent article I read made it sound like this was related.
Slight correction: Beidou, not Baidu. Baidu is a Chinese search engine. Beidou is the Chinese word for the north star, a classic symbol of navigation, which is why they chose that name for their GPS competitor.