Internet on a boat? Your smartphone is a satellite and (maybe) you don’t know it

Do you have a state-of-the-art smartphone? Whether it’s an iPhone, a Samsung, a Google Pixel, or a Motorola, you will soon be able to make calls, send text messages, and surf the Internet anywhere, even at sea, without the need for a satellite dish. Newer models already have a chip that will soon allow you to connect directly to satellite networks such as Starlink, without the need for a dish. Messaging, SOS and location sharing will be available from July 2025 in the United States and, by the end of the year, in Italy and the rest of Europe.

Your smartphone will pick up anywhere (yes, even in the middle of the sea!).

Imagine being on a boat, far from shore, and being able to send an emergency message or share your location in real time with friends. Until now, staying connected at sea meant spending a fortune on satellite equipment. Now, however, all you need is your smartphone to be reachable at all times and navigate safely, even where the signal from traditional networks doesn’t reach.

The secret lies in Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell technology. Basically, satellites in low earth orbit (LEO) communicate directly with your phone, without the need for terrestrial repeaters. Your smartphone chip takes advantage of the satellite signal to send messages, and soon to make calls and surf the Internet. Just get an unobstructed view of the sky and you’re connected, even in the middle of the ocean.

Starlink is the pioneer, but it is not alone

SpaceX’s Starlink is the big player in this revolution. In the first phase it will enable messaging and geolocation, then will come calls and fast Internet, with performance close to 4G and 5G.

But it is not the only one in the running. Amazon, with its Project Kuiper, is teaming up with Verizon and Vodafone to cover remote areas with its satellites (expected launch by 2029). Apple has already been integrating emergency satellite communication into its iPhones for almost two years and has bought a significant stake in Globalstar, a company that operates a low-orbit satellite network. And then there are the Chinese…

Internet. What can we expect in the future?

As networks and data compression technologies continue to improve, we will soon be able to make calls and surf the Internet quickly really anywhere, even in the middle of the ocean, simply using our cell phones. A technology that will not replace terrestrial networks altogether, but will complement them, creating a hybrid system that will provide total coverage. Perfect for emergencies, but also for those who want to be always connected, everywhere.

James Barbaro