Thuraya SatSleeve Brings Satellite Connectivity to the iPhone

Thuraya Telecommunications has introduced what it says is the first satellite adaptor for Apple’s iPhone, expanding the popular smartphone’s network coverage and capabilities.

Called the SatSleeve, Thuraya says the adapter is “a significant breakthrough in the mobile satellite industry (and) 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.”

Slightly larger than the iPhone itself, Thuraya Chief Executive Officer Samer Halawi said this about the adapter in a press release: “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."

Voice and text are communicated over Thuraya’s high-powered satellite network, and the SatSleeve enables users to take advantage of ubiquitous coverage even in the most remote environments.