TerreStar Corporation says it has successfully completed an end-to-end phone call using its TS-1 satellite and a pair of Windows Mobile handsets (left). The test apparently means the company is on track to launch its novel, dual-mode satellite/terrestrial phone service by the end of this year.
TerreStar's TS-1 aboard the Ariane 5 (Click image to enlarge)
TerreStar's TS-1, said to be one of the largest and most powerful commercial satellites in existence, was launched Jul. 1 as a solo payload (right) on the Ariane 5 rocket, and deployed into its geostationary orbit 29 minutes later, according to Arianespace. The TS-1 satellite, which is about the size of a minivan but weighs 15,000 pounds, includes a 500-beam antenna array, capable of covering all of the U.S. and Canada. (The satellite was originally planned for launch during the fourth quarter of last year, but its 59-foot reflector sustained damage during manufacturing, hence the delay.)
Now, says TerreStar, a phone call has been successfully completed between two of the company's Windows Mobile smartphones (see below for further details), which feature integrated satellite/terrestrial voice and data capabilities. As a result, the company added, it has notified the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and Industry Canada of its compliance with this final certification milestone.
TerreStar says its satellite phone service, which will rely on both the TS-1 and AT&T's cellular network, will be available to North American customers by the end of this year. Touted as "North America's first next-generation integrated mobile satellite and terrestrial network," the service will extend service into rural and remote areas, and offer redundancy and enhanced capacity during a crisis, the company claims. Operating in two 10MHz blocks of contiguous MSS (mobile satellite services) spectrum in the 2GHz band, the network will have a footprint covering a population of nearly 330 million, says TerreStar.
A slimmed-down handset
Thuraya SG-2520 (Click image for further information)
Previous satellite phones have tended to be brick-like devices reminiscent of the very first mobiles, though the Thuraya SG-2520 (right) announced in 2007 measured 5.5 x 2.08 x .74 inches. The TerreStar service will feature a relatively svelte 4.7 x 2.5 x 0.8 inch phone designed for the company by Finnish company Elektrobit corporation.
The handset (pictured at left), so far stuck with the lengthy moniker "TerreStar Satellite/Terrestrial PDA Phone," will connect to the satellite and AT&T terrestrial networks, offering voice calls, "4G" HSPA (high speed packet access) networking data mode, push e-mail, and other typical Windows Mobile features. The Windows Mobile 6.0 device includes a 2.6-inch touchscreen display, three megapixel camera, 802.11b/g wireless networking, Bluetooth, and GPS, according to the company.
Features and specifications listed by TerreStar for its Satellite/Terrestrial PDA Phone include the following:
Processor -- n/s
Memory -- 100MB available user memory
Display -- 2.6-inch touchscreen with 320 x 240 resolution
Camera -- Three megapixel with autofocus and flash
Wireless:
WAN:
TerreStar WCDMA HSDPA 2.2GHz with GMR-3G technology
Dual-band WCDMA (850 and 1900MHz)
Quad-band GSM/EGPRS (850, 900, 1800 and 1900MHz)
LAN -- 802.11b/g
PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
GPS
Other I/O:
USB client
2.5mm headset jack
Connector for external satellite antenna
SIM slot
Expansion -- MicroSD slot accepts up to 2GB of storage
Battery type/life:
1400mAH
Talk time:
GSM, up to three hours
WCDMA, up to three hours
Satellite, up to 1.3 hours
Standby time:
GSM and WCDMA, up to 240 hours
Satellite, up to 55 hours
Dimensions -- 4.7 x 2.5 x 0.8 inches
Weight -- n/s
A video featuring the Jul. 1 launch of the TerreStar TS-1 Source: Spacevidcast (click to play)
Further information
As noted, TerreStar says its satellite phone service should be available by the end of this year, but pricing has not been announced. More information on the TerreStar Satellite/Terrestrial PDA Phone may be found on the company's website, here.
For more information on this month's launch of the TS-1, see the eWEEK story mentioned above, here, or the Arianespace website, here.
The handset (pictured at left), so far stuck with the lengthy moniker "TerreStar Satellite/Terrestrial PDA Phone," will connect to the satellite and AT&T terrestrial networks, offering voice calls, "4G" HSPA (high speed packet access) networking data mode, push e-mail, and other typical Windows Mobile features. The Windows Mobile 6.0 device includes a 2.6-inch touchscreen display, three megapixel camera, 802.11b/g wireless networking, Bluetooth, and GPS, according to the company.
