Dialing Earth: Skylo Set To Leapfrog T-Mobile And Offer Voice Calls Via Satellite

Users of Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones could soon find themselves able to make voice calls via a satellite connection, if Skylo Technologies can get all its ducks in a row.

Skylo, which styles itself as a pioneer in non-terrestrial network (NTN) communications, says it has made the first satellite-borne voice calls using NB-NTN (narrowband-NTN) technology, and is teasing a rapid rollout in countries where it already has regulatory approval.

If it arrives somewhere soon, Skylo will be the first to provide commercial voice services over satellite via ordinary smartphones. The firm told us that the exact timeline will depend on a number of factors, but it expects to see adoption by next year.

"This milestone is a major breakthrough enabling mobile network operators (MNOs) to deliver an expansive set of revenue-generating services that their subscribers need and will love. NTN Voice Calling is something no other network can deliver at global commercial scale," claimed Skylo co-founder and chief product officer Tarun Gupta.

Skylo doesn't operate satellites itself, but uses spectrum from other providers such as Viasat and EchoStar, making it a kind of space-based virtual network operator, selling its services on to terrestrial phone networks.

The firm claims to have authorized coverage in most of Europe and North America, plus Australasia and parts of South America. Users need to make satellite calls when they're out of range of a mobile operator's cell towers, such as when they're in rural areas.

Like T-Mobile, which provides satellite phone connectivity via Starlink's orbital network, Skylo has previously offered just mobile messaging.

The firm says that its ability to support voice calls is due to its newly developed Skylo Voice Gateway, which uses advanced compression (AI-based, it claims) to squeeze audio traffic into the narrowband satellite channels.

Another function of the Voice Gateway is to translate comms from the satellite link into the standard protocols used by cell operator networks.

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We asked Skylo about pricing or plans, but the firm said it will be up to its carrier customers to set their own pricing for the new service offerings they develop for their subscribers.

So far, so good, but the catch is that NB-NTN is only supported in a limited number of smartphones so far, including the Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 and some Samsung Galaxy devices such as the S25. A list of certified devices is available here.

"The voice feature will only be available on the latest premium devices, like the Google Pixel and the Samsung Galaxy, as they have NB-NTN compatible chipsets," CCS Insight analyst Joe Gardiner told The Reg.

"This is in contrast to T-Mobile/Starlink, which claims it can get its satellite service on all 4G/5G smartphones. However, the Starlink service doesn't offer voice services yet, giving Skylo an edge in an increasingly competitive satellite direct-to-device contest," he added.

But Skylo should not takes its time, as other telcos and satellite providers are on its tail. T-Mobile/Starlink plan to expand to voice and data in the near future, and AST SpaceMobile is also lining up carrier partners for its satellite service, such as Vodafone, which has previously said it aims to offer a commercial direct-to-cell service in Europe starting later this year. ®