China achieves milestone with direct-to-satellite voice calls

June 21, 2026 / 6:05 PM

Sharjah 24 – QNA: China has achieved a major telecommunications milestone after satellite internet firm Spacesail successfully completed direct-to-satellite voice calls using standard, unmodified commercial smartphones. The company reported that the communication link remained smooth and stable throughout the trial, delivering high-quality voice performance comparable to standard ground-based 5G networks.

Stable performance and 5G-level quality demonstrated

The successful field test demonstrated full signal strength and seamless compatibility with existing mobile infrastructure, paving the way for deeper integration between space and terrestrial communications.

Space launch supports direct-to-cell technology testing

This breakthrough follows the launch of a Zhuque-2E rocket carrying the Spacesail DTC 01 test satellite, which was specifically designed to validate direct-to-cell technologies and support convergence with 5G and upcoming 6G systems.

Constellation expands to around 200 satellites

With this latest phase of development, the Spacesail Constellation has expanded to approximately 200 satellites. This rapid network growth significantly strengthens the company's capacity to deliver reliable, global satellite communication services directly to everyday consumer devices.