Is it possible for satellite radio to incorporate satellite telephones in the future?

Question

I wonder if "SAT" phones can be used in conjunction with satellite radio infrastructure in the future. "SAT" phones are extremely useful for remote places where there is no cell towers and since XM and Sirius already have the infrastructure set up - is this a viable idea?

Answer 1

Probably not since the hardware is all one-way. You need one powerful transmitter just to get the signal to the satellite.

Answer 2

Actually, there already is a satellite telephone infrastucture already in place. It's been up there for over a decade, and while it's useful, the consumer demand for it waned once cellular became cheap and ubiquitous. It's called Iridium.