A satellite phone, also known as a satphone, is a type of mobile phone that connects to other phones or the telephone network by radio link through satellites orbiting the Earth instead of terrestrial cell sites, as cellphones do. The main advantage of a satellite phone is that it can be used in regions where local terrestrial communication infrastructures, such as landline and cellular networks, are not available. Satellite phones are popular on expeditions into remote locations where there is no reliable cellular service, such as recreational hiking, hunting, fishing, and boating trips, as well as for business purposes, such as mining locations and maritime shipping.
Satellite phones work by receiving and transmitting signals from space-based satellites, not from land-based cell towers. They can be used to make phone calls, send text messages, and access low-bandwidth internet in some systems. Depending on the satellite phone device, users might get a wider range of communication features like SMS (text messaging), email, fax, and smartphone internet capabilities. Satellite phones are designed to work outdoors in many places that you are not able to use a cell phone. They are typically handheld, fixed, or portable and use satellites that can be stationary or orbiting. The user requires line of sight to a satellite in the coverage area of the service provider.
Early satellite phone handsets had a size and weight comparable to that of a late-1980s or early-1990s mobile phone, but usually with a large retractable antenna. More recent satellite phones are similar in size to a regular mobile phone while some prototype satellite phones have no distinguishable difference from an ordinary smartphone. In the early 2020s, manufacturers began to integrate satellite connectivity into smartphone devices for use in remote areas, out of the cellular network range. The satellite-to-phone services use L band frequencies, which are compatible with most modern handsets. However, due to the antenna limitations in the conventional phones, in the absence of a satellite phone adapter, the signal strength may be weak.
