China's Direct-to-Device Path
How has China brought satellite connectivity to ordinary phones, and how will its megaconstellations change that?
Chapter summary
China reached smartphones first through geostationary satellites.
Key takeaways
- 1
Huawei's Mate 60 Pro, launched in August 2023, could make satellite voice calls through the Tiantong-1 system, three geostationary satellites covering China and the Asia-Pacific, with service from China Telecom at an add-on price reported as low as about $1.38 a month.
- 2
Huawei phones also support short messages through the BeiDou navigation system.
- 3
China's low-orbit megaconstellations, Guowang and Qianfan, with about 490 satellites in orbit in October 2026, are designed for broadband but give China a platform for future low-orbit D2D.
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