(PCMag/Michael Kan)
Starlink Mobile rival Skylo is signaling it’s poised for further growth of its satellite-to-phone service, which is already available for free on Android handsets from Verizon and Google Pixels.
On Monday, Skylo filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission to increase the number of mobile devices it can serve in the US using its satellite connectivity.
The Mountain View company previously received FCC authorization to serve three device classes, dubbed Ant 1, Ant 2, and Ant 3. Skylo now wants to raise the number “from 1.1 million, 1.18 million, and 6.3 million units, respectively, to 10 million, 10 million, and 50 million units.”
In a statement, the company told PCMag the application reflects “the current and expected rapid growth of the non-terrestrial network satellite connectivity market.
"This filing is about scaling our authorized capacity to meet that demand in the US and ensuring our ability to make sure more Americans can stay connected in rural and remote areas in situations where terrestrial networks are not available,” Skylo added.
(Credit: PCMag/Michael Kan)The company is among the players, including SpaceX, AST SpaceMobile, and Amazon/Globalstar, that are developing satellite-to-phone services. However, Skylo doesn’t own any satellites; instead, the company has been building software to harness existing high-orbiting geostationary satellites from Viasat, Ligado Networks, and EchoStar to beam the connectivity to phones on the ground.
Skylo has already been supplying emergency satellite messaging to compatible Verizon and Pixel phones, giving them a way to remain connected in cellular dead zones. In addition, Skylo has expanded support to smartwatches, including the Pixel Watch 4, which can contact emergency services when there's no cellular connectivity.
Its other major project is to power phone calls over satellite. Skylo has also been working with the automotive industry.
Skylo noted that adoption of satellite connectivity is "accelerating and real-world usage is growing at a significant pace in the US and globally—Skylo has 15M+ devices on network in 37+ revenue-generating countries, across 72 certified devices.” The other devices include location trackers and IoT sensing devices.
Verizon and Google offer Skylo satellite connectivity for free, similar to Apple’s partnership with Globalstar on satellite messaging for iPhones. That said, Google’s Pixel satellite connectivity, available on the Pixel 9 and 10, is only free for the first two years; it's unclear whether the company will start charging users after that. Verizon has been offering satellite connectivity for free, but only for newer Samsung phones, in addition to the Pixel devices.