3 ms·
> If you've used old style satellite internet AST's satellite wasn't "old style satellite internet". It was at an altitude of 513km. That's roughly the same al
by vel0city 3y ago
> If you've used old style satellite internet
AST's satellite wasn't "old style satellite internet". It was at an altitude of 513km. That's roughly the same altitude as SpaceX's satellites (~550km).
AST's satellite was absolutely "new technology", last September.
SpaceX was beat for the "first phone service satellites", even for low orbit 5G satellites with unmodified phones.
https://ast-science.com/2023/09/19/ast-spacemobile-achieves-space-based-5g-cellular-broadband-connectivity-from-everyday-smartphones-another-historic-world-first/ https://ast-science.com/2023/09/19/ast-spacemobile-achieves-...
- pkaye 3y agoHow many satellites does it have up in space?
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- Dylan16807 3y agoI wish everything wouldn't be referred to as just "5G". Looks like they used 800MHz, so basically the longest range cell phone bands. Which is about as expected, none of that super-fragile millimeter wave stuff. SpaceX is using 1900MHz, which will make a difference but probably not a huge difference.
- wmf 3y ago5G NR can run on any band; it's not specific to mmwave.
- Dylan16807 3y agoI know. But 90% of articles call specific arbitrary subsets "5G" and it gets annoying to have the details skipped. By 5G does an article mean the incremental improvements, the expansion in mid-range frequencies, or the mmwave stuff? It's a crapshoot. Let alone more subtle but important information like whether it's 5G in both directions.
- belltaco 3y agoThat doesn't sound like two years ago.