A $ 450 million grant into Globalstar, a US-based satellite service, has enabled Apple’s satellite emergency SOS feature, which will arrive on the iPhone 14 line later this month.
Funding is secured through Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Fund and will go towards critical improvements in Globalstar’s satellite network and ground stations. These stations have been equipped with high-powered antennas manufactured by Cobham Satcom in California, while approximately 300 Globalstar employees will support the new service.
The service will use the spectrum in the L and S bands, created specifically for mobile satellite services by the ITU Radio Regulations. Once an iPhone 14 makes a satellite request, the message is received by one of Globalstar’s 24 satellites in low earth orbit, then sends the message to a custom ground station, which routes it to emergency services.
What Emergency SOS via Satellite looks like
Apple’s satellite emergency SOS will be launched later this month in the United States and Canada. The first 2 years are free, then a paid subscription will be required, but the price is yet to be confirmed.
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