For once, the biggest U.S. wireless carriers are putting their rivalry aside for a much bigger cause than who has the fastest 5G. AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are teaming up on a new joint venture designed to bring mobile coverage to places where your phone currently becomes an expensive paperweight. The idea is to combine their resources with satellite technology to attack one of the most annoying problems in mobile connectivity: dead zones.
The companies aren’t talking about fixing just a few highway stretches. They say the venture aims to nearly eliminate areas of the U.S. that currently have no mobile service at all.
Phones could stay connected where cell towers can’t
The companies first announced their plan to pool limited spectrum resources for expanded satellite coverage in May. To be clear, traditional cell networks are not exactly disappearing. The three carriers say their existing terrestrial networks will continue handling everyday connectivity. The satellite network would essentially act as backup coverage for places where towers can’t reach.
That could mean connectivity in remote rural areas, along isolated roads or during disasters when ground-based infrastructure goes offline.
The companies specifically promise redundant connectivity during emergencies, giving people another way to communicate when extreme weather or other disruptions knock out conventional networks.
There won’t be a need for a separate satellite setup
One of the more interesting goals is improving direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity, the technology that allows satellites to communicate directly with compatible phones and other devices rather than requiring a separate satellite terminal.
The joint venture wants to make satellite services easier to access across different carriers, while developing common technical standards that make the experience less fragmented. Ideally, phones should not care whether their signal is coming from a cell tower or orbiting several hundred miles above its user’s head.
A satellite battle happening
This isn’t happening in a vacuum. Dedicated satellite connectivity companies such as Starlink and Amazon’s Leo are increasingly pushing into mobile communications, turning satellites into competitors to traditional wireless networks.
Instead of letting satellite companies completely reshape the connectivity market from the outside, America’s three biggest carriers are combining resources and building out their own position. According to the carriers, the venture will also create more opportunities for satellite providers and rural mobile operators to participate, potentially giving consumers more choices rather than locking satellite connectivity to a single company.
A CEO has been named
Paul Roth, a veteran wireless executive who has held leadership positions at AT&T, Cingular Wireless and Ameritech, will serve as interim CEO while the companies search for a permanent leader. The venture will also have a board with representatives from all three founding carriers.
However, there is no launch date yet for when customers can actually start using this expanded coverage. The project is still in its early stages and existing agreements between individual carriers and satellite providers will remain in place. Still, if the plan works, the annoying moment when your phone goes from full bars to absolutely nothing could become considerably rarer.
Sources: PR Newswire, Engadget