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29 March 2024

UAE's Thuraya enables Apple’s iPhone 5 to make satellite calls

Published
By Vicky Kapur

The UAE-based Thuraya Telecommunications Company has launched its user-friendly “satellite phone” for Apple’s iPhone, bringing satellite connectivity to the Apple iPhone.

Thuraya, a Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) operator based in the UAE, called its SatSleeve converter for the iPhone “a significant breakthrough in the mobile satellite industry,” and confirmed in a media statement that the converter is now available to the public.

“Thuraya SatSleeve is the world’s first product to offer easy and affordable access to mobile satellite communications – delivered over Thuraya’s extensive satellite network. Only slightly larger than the iPhone itself, the compact adaptor provides users with the ability to turn their iPhone into a satellite phone that allows them to have reliable connectivity beyond the coverage of traditional terrestrial networks,” the company detailed in the statement.

“The launch of Thuraya SatSleeve represents a major milestone and a game-changing innovation in the satellite industry,” proclaimed Samer Halawi, Chief Executive Officer of Thuraya.

“This is the first consumer friendly mobile satellite phone ever launched, which dramatically increases the reach to satellite telephony for enterprise, government, and everyday consumers alike. It provides iPhone users with a versatile and highly affordable means of conducting phone calls and sending SMS via satellite from the world’s most remote locations,” he added.

Here’s a video of how the device works:

Emirates 24|7 reported this morning that Apple is working on a new killer iPhone 6 smartphone with which it intends to wipe out competition.

The Thuraya device will add a huge advantage to the iPhone, which is typically supported by terrestrial networks. The Thuraya SatSleeve enables users to enjoy ubiquitous coverage even in the most remote environments, like remote interiors of the UAE desert, or even Antarctica.

The Thuraya SatSleeve also serves as an important mobile communications tool for corporate users, especially enterprises operating in remote locations, explorers, mountaineers and other outdoor enthusiasts – ideal for prolonged expeditions that take these users deep into uncharted areas that are not served by terrestrial mobile networks.

Combining the innovation of Thuraya’s mobile satellite products with the intuitive interface of the iPhone, Thuraya SatSleeve is a groundbreaking development that enables users to stay connected by voice and text over Thuraya’s high-powered satellite network

The Thuraya SatSleeve is the first product of its kind. It offers access to mobile satellite communications to iPhone users, using the company’s own extensive satellite network.