Skip to main content

Truphone pairs with Skylo for ‘breakthrough’ mobile coverage

Truphone has announced a partnership with satellite network service provider Skylo Technologies to “create ubiquitous cellular and satellite coverage” for mobile users. Announced at Mobile World Congress 2022, the pairing aims to expand the areas where cell service is available by allowing users to switch between using cellular and satellite coverage with the push of just a few buttons.

Previously, Truphone’s main focus has been giving mobile owners the ability to easily switch service providers through the company’s eSIM card offerings. Giving them the ability to switch between cellular and satellite coverage, however, is a new step toward “truly ubiquitous global connectivity.”

Satellite coverage is not a new technology and has been used for years to provide mobile connections to places where cellular coverage simply doesn’t reach. Up until now, the main problem with satellite is that it required bulky antennas and other potentially expensive hardware to access, making it not viable for most consumers.

Logos for Truphone and Skylo in front of blue skies and fluffy clouds.

Truphone’s partnership with Skylo has sidestepped the hardware issues present with satellite coverage, making it available to anyone using a Truphone eSIM through a simple software update. Similar to how Truphone eSIM users can switch seamlessly between cellular providers without needing to switch around physical hardware, users will also be able to switch from cellular coverage to Skylo satellite through in-app settings.

The hybrid cellular/satellite tech should be rolling out in the fourth quarter of 2022 according to Skylo, starting in the North American market before branching out to other markets.

The ability to painlessly switch between cellular and satellite coverage could be a game-changer for the mobile industry if the technology can attract widespread use. Truphone is hopeful that its eSIM technology will eventually make legacy SIM cards obsolete, and if the company can do that, then its cellular/satellite offering seems likely to be used with countless devices.

Editors' Recommendations

Peter Hunt Szpytek
A podcast host and journalist, Peter covers mobile news with Digital Trends and gaming news, reviews, and guides for sites…
What is Integrated SIM (iSIM)? How is it better than eSIM?
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 system on chip (SoC) held using two fingers.

A decade ago, if someone had told you your phone could charge in less than 10 minutes or take a detailed photograph of the moon, would you have believed it? Despite our allegiance to technology, we certainly would have been doubtful. Yet, these things are possible today. Our smartphones have experienced enormous growth in almost every area. But, if there is one thing that has seen minimal evolution, it is the SIM card.

The SIM card is witnessing the next wave of transformation with the iSIM or the Integrated SIM, which are much smaller and offer more security than physical SIM cards or embedded SIMs (eSIM). Vodafone and Qualcomm recently showcased a proof of concept working with an iSIM and demonstrated how an iSIM could be a valuable commodity in upcoming smartphones. In this article, we will discuss how the adoption of iSIM could impact the future of smartphones and other smart devices.

Read more
It’s put-up or shut-up time for TCL’s foldables
TCL Ultra Flex concept device.

Foldable phones are still a new frontier, and as with other new frontiers, there are many who would try to make their fortune with what could very well be the tantalizing prospect of the Next Big Thing. TCL has been teasing its foldables for a while now, and clearly wants a piece of the pie, but the smartphone world moves fast, and the wait-and-see approach has never been a winning strategy in a gold rush.

TCL has made it clear that it isn’t in a hurry to push out a foldable device, but while there are certainly merits to the strategy of not jumping headfirst into unfamiliar waters, it runs the risk of having to push its way into a crowded market if it waits too long. Last year, the phone that was to be their first foldable, code-named project Chicago, was put on hold due to the multitude of ongoing issues in the world today that would have made the production a difficult challenge indeed.
Building the hype
That was an understandable and, likely, a wise decision on TCL’s part, and it will likely have at least a good chunk of 2022 in which to bide its time. Right now, the number of worthwhile foldable devices out there that you can actually buy is fairly sparse, and they’re relatively expensive. Samsung’s third-generation Flip and Fold phones are pretty much the only game in town. With so little current competition, and interest in foldables only really just starting to grow, TCL is quietly waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Read more
Testing Super Device, Huawei’s ‘pain-free’ multidevice link
Huawei MateBook E connections.

Wirelessly connecting different devices that you own together, whether it’s for collaboration or to simply transfer files between them, should be quite simple, but often it’s the opposite. Huawei announced its Super Device wireless connection system during Mobile World Congress 2022, which aims to solve the problems many of us have with cross-device syncing, and I’ve given it a try.

After a few hours, I was left asking myself the question, why can’t there just be one way to reliably connect things together without a cable?
What is Super Device?
Get past all the buzzwords in the promotional material, and you’ll eventually find out Super Device is, at its most basic, a way to connect multiple devices together without resorting to a cable. It’s part of Huawei’s ecosystem, and, therefore only applies to Huawei products, so you can’t use Super Device if you own a smartphone or computer from a different brand. You need to be fully on board with Huawei devices and own a Huawei smartphone, computer, tablet, true wireless headphones, and so on, but this isn’t anything new: Apple’s AirDrop only works with Apple hardware, for example.

Read more