Verizon and Skylo's alternative approach to direct-to-device messagingVerizon and Skylo's alternative approach to direct-to-device messaging

Verizon and Skylo are partnering to use satellite spectrum for D2D connectivity to support Emergency SOS texting instead of using cellular spectrum. Next year, Verizon will add SMS services via satellite as well.

Kelsey Ziser, Senior Editor

September 5, 2024

3 Min Read
 A satellite orbiting the Earth.
(Source: Jose Luis Stephens/Alamy Stock Photo)

Verizon and satellite startup Skylo are taking a different approach to direct-to-device (D2D) communications, one that allows them to deliver emergency SOS texting to some devices right now.

The companies are working together to use satellite spectrum only for D2D connectivity to support emergency texting now. Next year, Verizon will add SMS texting services via satellite as well.

This approach differs from T-Mobile and SpaceX, which are planning to launch a "direct-to-cell" service commercially in the US this fall. This service requires a contribution of T-Mobile's terrestrial spectrum to SpaceX's Starlink satellites.

"Skylo's system is also different from those offered by AST SpaceMobile, Lynk Global and SpaceX," explained Light Reading's Mike Dano. "That's because Skylo's system does not rely on spectrum owned by mobile network operators. Instead, its messages run through satellite spectrum owned by the likes of Viasat, Ligado and TerreStar."

Here's an overview of what T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T are providing this fall with satellite company partners:

Fall 2024

  • T-Mobile

    • Full text messaging is available for all phones via Starlink's satellite network where T-Mobile doesn't have coverage. This service requires T-Mobile spectrum in combination with Starlink's network.

Related:Verizon and Skylo connect on direct-to-device messaging deal

  • Verizon

    • Emergency messaging and location services via Skylo for newer Android phones. This service does not require cellular spectrum.

    • Emergency messaging via AST SpaceMobile for all other phones. That service variant will use 850MHz low-band spectrum in combination with AST SpaceMobile's network.

  • AT&T

    • Emergency messaging via AST SpaceMobile for all phones on its network. This, too, will use 850MHz low-band spectrum in combination with AST SpaceMobile's network.

Skylo also has satellite connection partnerships with Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom, Sony Qualcomm, MediaTek and Google Pixel, said Tarun Gupta, Skylo's co-founder and CPO.

The partnership with Verizon marks Skylo's "first announcement where we've gone with a North American carrier for two-way SMS services as opposed to IoT or other types of device-type services," said Gupta.

Main differences

Gupta said there are several main differences between Skylo's approach to D2D messaging and that of T-Mobile and SpaceX.

"Because we're not using terrestrial spectrum, you're able to have a complete overlay, not just for rural areas such as the Appalachian Trail but also that area at the park by your house," said Gupta.

Skylo's D2D service with Verizon "uses L-band spectrum and that means for this service to work, we had to get the chipset, the OS and the device [vendors] to do work to enable the spectrum on those devices. And that's why this service won't be available in the older devices," explained Srini Kalapala, SVP of Technology and Product Development at Verizon.

Related:How Skylo is quietly succeeding in the phone-to-satellite race

Verizon will also work with Skylo to support satellite connectivity for IoT devices.

"The partnership includes the ability for IoT devices to use this satellite communication to deliver messaging," Kalapala said.

Apple already has an Emergency SOS service starting with the iPhone 14. Verizon's D2D messaging service with Skylo will focus on Android devices, including Google's Pixel 9 series and Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S25 series, Kalapala said. Last month, Google announced that its Pixel 9 smartphones are the first Android phones to include Google's Satellite SOS emergency messaging services.

Apple invested $450 million to launch its Emergency SOS satellite messaging service for iPhone 14 smartphones in 2022. Apple is utilizing Globalstar's satellite network and ground stations to support the SOS service and doesn't require a partnership with a wireless carrier.

Verizon and AST SpaceMobile's D2D service

Kalapala said that next year, with satellite company AST SpaceMobile, Verizon plans to launch a D2D service, which will utilize cellular spectrum and be available on older devices. AST SpaceMobile is also partnering with AT&T and announced that its upcoming satellites, which will support the D2D services with AT&T and Verizon, are scheduled to launch on September 12.

Related:AT&T, Verizon challenge SpaceX, T-Mobile's direct-to-cell service

AST SpaceMobile will launch five BlueBird commercial satellites to low-Earth orbit (LEO). Initially, AST SpaceMobile will use low-band spectrum to support beta test users for AT&T and Verizon, with a goal of reaching nearly 100% nationwide coverage from space with over 5,600 coverage cells in the US. The launch can be viewed on AST Mobile's YouTube channel.

About the Author

Kelsey Ziser

Senior Editor, Light Reading

Kelsey is a senior editor at Light Reading, co-host of the Light Reading podcast, and host of the "What's the story?" podcast.

Her interest in the telecom world started with a PR position at Connect2 Communications, which led to a communications role at the FREEDM Systems Center, a smart grid research lab at N.C. State University. There, she orchestrated their webinar program across college campuses and covered research projects such as the center's smart solid-state transformer.

Kelsey enjoys reading four (or 12) books at once, watching movies about space travel, crafting and (hoarding) houseplants.

Kelsey is based in Raleigh, N.C.

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