In a groundbreaking achievement, Vodafone has successfully conducted the world’s first video call from space using a standard mobile phone. This historic event took place on January 29, 2025, after extensive preparations that transformed a car park in Newbury, England, into a sophisticated gateway for satellite communication.
Vodafone revealed that the project began in December 2024, presenting a significant logistical challenge: finding a suitable location for a satellite dish weighing one tonne and measuring 2.4 meters across. The dish needed an unobstructed view of the sky to track satellites traveling at extraordinary speeds. After evaluating multiple sites, the team opted for the top level of the car park at Vodafone’s office in Newbury, located at The Connection.
The delivery of the satellite dish faced a week-long delay while waiting for an appropriately sized aircraft from Europe. Once it arrived, the team encountered height restrictions that prevented the use of cranes and forklifts for installation. Sami Gabriel, a Vodafone engineer based in Newbury, described the assembly process: “I think there were 10 of us on site doing that assembly. In the R&D team, we do a lot of trials, so it’s a matter of finding a way to make it happen – no is not an acceptable answer.”
To power the dish, the team had to run a 100-meter power extension cord from the main building, as the car park only provided enough electricity for its lights. While half of the engineers worked on constructing the Newbury gateway, the other half embarked on a mission to identify an area devoid of mobile signal, known as a “not-spot.”
Lead engineer Rowan Chesmer, along with colleague Abdirahman Farrah and his dog, Odin, ventured into the remote valleys of Wales in pursuit of the ideal location. They faced challenging winter conditions, including snow-covered paths, flooded roads, and fallen trees. “You can’t see anything, but you hold a spectrum analyser up and you can clearly see the signal,” Chesmer explained. “It looks really boring when you’re doing it, but it’s incredibly exciting when there’s something there.”
Back at the Newbury site, anticipation ran high as the team prepared for the call. Since the satellites are in constant motion, they had limited time—between 10 to 20 minutes—to complete the call before the satellite moved out of range. “There was a running bet as to which satellite would make the first call,” Chesmer noted. The suspense culminated in the early hours of January 29, when the team successfully established a voice call, followed by a historic video call to Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle.
Unlike conventional mobile phones that rely on masts located approximately 4 kilometers away, this innovative technology connects directly to satellites situated over 500 kilometers above the Earth. The absence of physical obstructions in orbit ensures a strong signal, even in remote areas.
The temporary setup in the Newbury car park has since been relocated to a permanent facility. Vodafone has announced plans to launch commercial services by late 2026, promising enhanced 4G and 5G coverage, eliminating mobile “dead zones” and expanding connectivity to even the most remote locations. This advancement marks a significant step forward in mobile communication technology, paving the way for a more connected future.
