After the tragic aftermath of the massive earthquake in Sichuan province in 2008, the Chinese authorities launched the Tiantong project, which is based on the connection of a smartphone with a satellite and the use of a mobile phone in places without signal coverage.
This was reported by the South China Morning Post, according to UNN.
Details
16 years after the powerful earthquake in the southwestern province of China, when the disruption of communications contributed to the total number of losses due to the natural disaster, the Chinese government launched the Tiantong project. The main idea of the project is to create a satellite communication system accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status.
Several satellites launched since 2016 now form a network in geosynchronous orbit at an altitude of 36,000 km (22,369 miles), covering the entire Asia-Pacific region from the Middle East to the Pacific.
Meanwhile, Huawei Technologies last year launched the world's first satellite-enabled smartphone that can directly connect to Tiantong satellites. Other Chinese smartphone manufacturers, including Xiaomi, Honor, and Oppo, have also introduced similar models.
These products have resonated with consumers - according to the South China Morning Post, Huawei alone has sold tens of millions of devices. This is quite an advantage compared to the popularity of SpaceX's Starlink satellite service, which has more than 2 million customers worldwide.
For reference
The Tiantong project has a proven positive impact and benefit: On December 18, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck the northwestern province of Gansu, again causing massive communication disruptions. This time, however, many of those caught up in the disaster were able to contact the outside world using the satellite calling feature on their smartphones. The number of victims of this earthquake was about 150 people, the newspaper writes.
Direct satellite communication for mobile phones has become a new development trend, and satellite communication will gradually become popular with the general public
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