Context

A team of Chinese engineers and scientists have developed the world’s first satellite that lets smartphones place a call directly through it, instead of mobile towers. 

Tiantong Project 

• Background: The idea for such a satellite came about after 2008, when Sichuan, a province in southwestern China, was struck by a devastating magnitude-8 earthquake, resulting in the tragic loss of over 80,000 lives.
  • The situation was made worse by the communication breakdowns in affected areas which severely hindered rescue operations, thus compounding the crisis.
• About: In response to the disaster, the Chinese government started to provide universal access to communication services irrespective of socio-economic status.
• Deployment of the Tiantong-1 series: The project involves launching three satellites orbiting synchronously at an altitude of 36,000 kilometers. 
  • This has the potential to revolutionize communication across the Asia-Pacific region, from the Middle East to the Pacific Ocean.

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• Huawei’s Satellite-Compatible Device: Huawei Technologies introduced the world’s first smartphone capable of satellite calls. 
  • These smartphones were compatible with the Tiantong satellites. Globally, the first smartphone to advertise satellite calling as a feature was the iPhone 14.
• Significance: In case of an emergency where mobile connectivity may be severely impacted because of a natural calamity or any other disaster, people can call for help directly, by connecting to an overhead communication orbiter.