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Living in UK town, I have never felt the need to have satellite communication technology in my phone, but this seems to be the new frontier brands are targeting.
Apple announced Emergency SOS on the iPhone 14 last year and this has inevitably seen more interest in the technology from both from consumers and brands.
MediaTek is at the forefront of this technology. At MWC 2024, they are demonstrating its innovative 3GPP Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) technology that brings two-way satellite communications to smartphones. The first smartphones with MediaTek’s satellite connectivity are also launching, with more devices to be unveiled in the coming months. Additionally, MediaTek will also be sharing a sneak peek of its next-generation 5G New Radio NTN (NR-NTN) technology for the next wave of satellite-enabled devices.
Satellite networks aim to fill gaps in mobile coverage, offering a reliable way for devices to communicate in remote locations. With satellite-enabled smartphones, consumers can stay in touch when they are hiking, driving in secluded areas, on a boat, or in other situations where there has traditionally been no connectivity; this will not only provide users with peace of mind, but also enable them to request assistance in emergency situations.
Motorola Defy 2
In partnership with Bullitt Group, Motorola have announced Motorola Defy 2, a rugged smartphone, and Motorola Defy satellite link, a Bluetooth device that provides satellite connectivity to any smartphone, are designed for anyone that has ever been frustrated by a lack of cell coverage – whether travelling or participating in outdoor activities, or just in their daily lives.
The Motorola Defy 2 boasts an extremely robust design. The phone is built to survive drops and falls, and is lab and real-world tested to heights of up to 1.8 meters, including repeated drops onto a steel plate in every orientation. It is impervious to dust, sand and dirt ingress, and highly waterproof, submersion tested to depths down to 5 meters and subjected to high pressure water jets, earning the product IP68 and IP69K ratings. And it is fully resistant to the elements. Put through rigorous Mil-Spec 810H testing, Motorola Defy 2 has been tested in high and low temperature extremes, in humid environments, in salt mist conditions, and has been put through vibration and tumble tests.
Featuring a hygienic device design, the Motorola Defy 2 can be cleaned and sanitized with soap and water, or even alcohol wipes without issue, and it includes Bullitt’s Hygiene+ technology – with all external surfaces of the device manufactured with materials blended with antimicrobial, antibacterial additives.
Despite its robustness, the Motorola Defy 2 is slim and pocketable, and includes a large 6.6” FHD+ display, with 20:9 aspect ratio and up to 120Hz refresh rate. It also includes a large 5000mAh battery, providing up to 2-days of power, and support for 15W fast-charging and Qi wireless charging. It is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 930 octa-core 2.2GHz processor, with 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage – expandable with MicroSD cards. And it includes a triple camera array (50MP main sensor, 8MP ultrawide sensor, 2MP macro sensor) on the rear, and 8MP front facing camera. Launching on Android 12, the Motorola Defy 2 will receive two OS updates – and 5 years of security patches.
Price and Availability
The Motorola Defy 2 will be available from Q2 2023 from selected operators across North America, Latin America and Canada. Priced from $599 including 12 months of SOS Assist.
Motorola Defy Satellite Link
The Motorola Defy satellite link is a compact, lightweight, Bluetooth accessory with a handy attachment loop that allows any Android or iOS device to connect to the Bullitt Satellite Messenger service and utilize the full functionality of the application, including true two-way messaging over satellite, as well as location sharing and SOS assistance.
The tough, pocket-friendly device has also passed Mil-Spec 810H testing and is waterproof and dustproof with an IP68 rating. It has a 600mAh battery, providing sufficient battery life for multiple days of use. The design includes physical SOS and location ‘Check In’ buttons, allowing it to offer some functions even when apart from its paired smartphone.
Designed to give any smartphone the power of satellite connectivity, the Motorola Defy satellite link is an advanced satellite hotspot device that ensures peace of mind – wherever your next adventure takes you.
Bullitt Satellite Messenger: Featuring direct-to-satellite mobile phone technology for two-way satellite messaging
Bullitt Satellite Messenger is the first 3GPP standards-based satellite NTN or ‘direct-to-device’ service. The new Motorola Defy range will use the service to access existing geostationary satellites, providing affordable and continuous coverage internationally over existing, wellestablished infrastructure. With this new technology, customers can message over satellite, as long as they have a clear view of the sky.
The service works by utilizing the Motorola Defy 2’s hardware, or the Motorola Defy satellite link hardware connected to an iOS or Android smartphone, along with the Bullitt Satellite Messenger app, to send messages. It will first try to connect via Wi-Fi or cellular as normal, and if neither are found to be available, it will connect via satellite. Recipients without the Bullitt Satellite Messenger app can receive a message as a simple SMS to their existing phone, and are invited to download the associated Android or iOS app to respond.
The cost of the messages sent or received over satellite will be deducted from the satellite messaging subscriber’s plan with no cost to the recipient. There is no charge to either party when sending messages over an internet connection.
SOS Assist – with 24/7 access to emergency response centers provided by FocusPoint International – is available free for the first year at launch with the Motorola Defy 2 and is included in all plans. Messaging plans start from as little as $4.99/ month, with other flexible and heavier usage plans also available.
Price and Availability
The Motorola Defy satellite link will be available from Q2 2023 across international retailers, for local availability visit www.Motorolarugged.com. Priced from $99 for the device only. A bundle including 12 months subscription to the Essentials Messaging service plan (up to 30 two-way messages per month and SOS Assist) will start at $149.
Cat S75 Rugged Android Phone with two-way satellite messaging
The newly announced Cat S75 shrugs off anything that life throws at it, even loss of signal. As well as superfast 5G connectivity, the Cat S75 also includes MediaTek’s state of the art NTN (non-terrestrial network) chip that enables direct connectivity to geostationary satellites 37,500km above the earth making it possible to send a message or make an SOS assistance request, even in areas without mobile coverage.
Our toughest handset yet, the Cat S75 is built to survive. It’s tested to the extreme with repeated drops onto steel plates from up to 1.8 meters and is impervious to dust, sand and dirt ingress. It’s highly waterproof and tested to a depth of 5 meters as well as being able to handle high pressure water jets. This earns the Cat S75 IP68 and IP69K ratings. But we don’t stop there – the Cat S75 was also put through rigorous Mil-Spec 810H testing which ensures the phone can survive extremes of temperature, high humidity, salt fog conditions, vibration and tumble tests.
The Cat S75 can be cleaned and sanitized with soap and water or alcohol wipes, and includes Bullitt’s Hygiene+ technology – with all external surfaces of the device containing antimicrobial silver ions.
Despite its ‘beyond rugged’ credentials and 6.6” display (FHD+ 120Hz refresh rate and 20:9 aspect ratio) the Cat S75 is slim and very pocketable. A 5000mAh battery provides up to 2-days of power with support for 15W fast-charging and Qi wireless charging. It is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 930 octa-core 2.2GHz processor, with 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage, expandable via MicroSD card. It includes a triple camera array (50MP main sensor, 8MP wide sensor, 2MP macro sensor) with an underwater mode on the rear, and 8MP front-facing camera. Launching on Android 12, the Cat S75 will receive two OS updates – and 5 years of security patches.
Cat S75 pricing and availability
The Cat S75 is available to pre-order now from selected operators and retailers across EMEA. Priced from €599 / £549 including a 3-month free trial of the Bullitt Satellite Messenger Essentials service plan which includes up to 30 direct-to-satellite messages per month.
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
