Via Satellite archive image.

Skylo reports it has completed an over-the-air (OTA) voice call over narrowband satellite network (NB-NTN), paving the way to roll out a voice calling feature on its network. 

Skylo shared a video of the call which took place in mid-July, in which one caller was on a cellular network and the other on Skylo’s satellite network. 

The development was made possible by the Skylo Voice Gateway, which Skylo explained translates the physical layer of the satellite link into the standard protocols used by mobile network operator (MNO) core networks, allowing users to make and receive calls over satellite. It uses an AI-powered voice codec to balance data consumption with call quality. 

Skylo said it has submitted a proposal along with its partners for NTN native voice calling to the 3GPP standards body, and it has been formally approved as a 3GPP work item for Release 20.

Skylo works with mobile network operators and device and chip manufacturers to enable standards-based direct-to-device services using mobile satellite services (MSS) spectrum from satellite partners, including Viasat.

Chief Product Officer Tarun Gupta said this milestone expands the services that MNOs can deliver with Skylo’s network. “NTN Voice Calling is something no other network can deliver at global commercial scale,” Gupta said in a release. “The convergence of 3GPP standards-based protocols, AI-powered codecs, deep chipset-level integration, and our commercially available network will unlock a new era of mobile connectivity.”