When I think of satellite phones I think of large and bulky devices that are in a suitcase and look like handsets from the 90’s more than the smartphones of today. TerreStar has a slick satellite phone called the Genus that is an attractive smartphone that looks like many of the other devices on the market.

Despite looking like your average QWERTY keyboard, Windows Mobile device, the Genus has one major difference. The handset can operate on the AT&T terrestrial 3G network and it can also work on the TerreStar IP satellite network when the AT&T network is now available.

In my rural area, I would probably spend more time on the satellite network than the AT&T network. AT&T will be distributing the Genus mobile phone. However, the exact date it will be available and the price for the handset and the service is unknown at this time.