Every smartphone manufactured in the last decade contains a cellular radio capable of direct device-to-device communication spanning kilometers without any infrastructure. This capability exists in the hardware. It is defined in international standards. It has been ready since 2014.
It is disabled by design.
Your smartphone contains a baseband processor - a separate computer dedicated to radio communications. This chip handles all cellular connectivity and includes:
| Component | Capability | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Cellular Radio | 700-2600 MHz transmission | Active (tower-only) |
| Power Output | 200mW - 2W | Available |
| Theoretical Range | 1-10+ kilometers | Hardware capable |
| D2D Protocol Support | 3GPP Release 12+ | Disabled |
The baseband processor runs its own operating system, completely separate from Android or iOS. You purchased this hardware. You do not control it.
The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) - the organization that defines all cellular standards worldwide - approved Proximity Services (ProSe) in 2014.
What ProSe enables:
- Direct device-to-device communication
- Range: 500 meters to several kilometers
- No cellular tower required
- No internet connection required
- Voice, text, and data capable
Official use cases defined by 3GPP:
- Emergency communications when infrastructure fails -γγγγγ
This is not theoretical. This is not a hack. This is an official, ratified international standard that your phone's chipset supports.
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β YOUR SMARTPHONE β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β β
β ββββββββββββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββ β
β β β β β β
β β APPLICATION β β BASEBAND β β
β β PROCESSOR β β PROCESSOR β β
β β β β β β
β β ββββββββββββββββ β β ββββββββββββββββ β β
β β β Android/iOS β β β β Proprietary β β β
β β β β β ββββ β β Firmware β β β
β β β Your apps β β RIL β β β β β
β β β run here β β β β You cannot β β β
β β β β β β β access this β β β
β β ββββββββββββββββ β β ββββββββββββββββ β β
β β β β β β β
β β YOU CONTROL THIS β β βΌ β β
β β β β ββββββββββββββββ β β
β ββββββββββββββββββββββ β β CELLULAR β β β
β β β RADIO β β β
β β β 1-10km range β β β
β β ββββββββββββββββ β β
β β β β
β β YOU OWN THIS β β
β β YOU DON'T CONTROL β β
β ββββββββββββββββββββββ β
β β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
The Radio Interface Layer (RIL) provides extremely limited communication between your operating system and the baseband. You can request the baseband to make calls or send SMS. You cannot access its underlying capabilities.
3GPP Release 12 ratifies ProSe (Proximity Services) / LTE Direct. Device-to-device communication is officially standardized. Qualcomm demonstrates working prototypes. Press releases promise a revolution in mobile communications.
Implementation delays. Carrier concerns about spectrum usage. The technology that was "coming soon" goes quiet.
ProSe is officially repositioned as "primarily for public safety use." Consumer implementation is deprioritized indefinitely.
The same technology is deployed for V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) communications. Cars can talk directly to each other. Phones cannot.
8 billion smartphones worldwide. The hardware supports D2D. The standard exists. Consumer devices remain locked.
Current Reality:
Cell towers damaged βββΊ Communications blackout βββΊ Chaos
People cannot call for help
Families cannot locate each other
Emergency services overwhelmed
With D2D Enabled:
Cell towers damaged βββΊ Phones form automatic mesh network
Message hops: Phone β Phone β Phone β Rescue
Coverage: Kilometers without infrastructure
Every smartphone becomes a network node
Smartphones worldwide: 8,000,000,000
Potential coverage with D2D mesh: Nearly universal
Current cell tower count globally: ~7,000,000
Average tower installation cost: $100,000 - $500,000 USD
Every person with a smartphone could be a node in a global mesh network. Instead, we build towers.
The baseband processor runs proprietary firmware from a small number of manufacturers:
- Qualcomm (majority of Android devices)
- MediaTek (budget and mid-range devices)
- Samsung (Samsung devices)
- Apple (iPhone, previously Intel)
This firmware is:
- Closed source
- Cryptographically signed
- Impossible to modify without manufacturer keys
- Required for device certification
To sell a phone legally:
- Chipset must be approved by regulatory bodies (FCC, CE, etc.)
- Device must be certified by carriers
- Firmware must comply with carrier requirements
- D2D capabilities must be disabled for consumer devices
A device with "unauthorized" baseband behavior cannot be sold.
Governments auction electromagnetic spectrum rights. These auctions generate significant revenue:
| Region | 4G/5G Spectrum Auction Revenue |
|---|---|
| Germany | β¬6.5 billion |
| Italy | β¬6.5 billion |
| United Kingdom | β¬1.4 billion |
| United States | $80+ billion (historical total) |
This spectrum is then leased to carriers who build infrastructure and charge users for access.
Government βββΊ Auctions spectrum βββΊ Carrier purchases license
β
βΌ
Carrier builds towers
β
βΌ
Carrier charges users monthly
β
βΌ
Users pay for data/minutes
Direct device-to-device communication would bypass this chain.
The following frequencies are unlicensed and available for application developers:
| Technology | Frequency | Range | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| WiFi Direct | 2.4/5 GHz | 50-200m | Available |
| Bluetooth LE | 2.4 GHz | 10-30m | Available |
| WiFi (standard) | 2.4/5 GHz | 50-100m | Available |
These are the technologies that apps like FireChat, Bridgefy, and others use to create mesh networks. They work. They are limited to short range because the long-range radio in your pocket is not accessible.
Your phone contains:
- A short-range radio you CAN use (WiFi/Bluetooth): 10-200 meters
- A long-range radio you CANNOT use (Cellular): 1-10+ kilometers
The long-range radio sits idle unless communicating with licensed infrastructure.
- TS 23.303 - Proximity-based Services (ProSe)
- TS 36.300 - E-UTRA and E-UTRAN Overall Description (includes D2D)
- TS 36.211 - Physical Channels and Modulation (Sidelink)
- PC5 - Direct communication interface between UEs (User Equipment)
- Sidelink - The physical layer implementation of D2D
These are public documents. The technology is fully specified. Implementation in consumer devices remains absent.
No. Everything stated here is documented in public 3GPP specifications, FCC filings, carrier agreements, and chipset documentation. The technology exists. The standards exist. The decision to not enable it in consumer devices is a business and regulatory choice, not a technical limitation.
The 3GPP standard includes sophisticated interference management. V2X (vehicle) communications use the same technology without causing network disruption. The interference argument is a policy position, not an insurmountable technical barrier.
Automotive manufacturers have significant negotiating power and safety requirements that override carrier preferences. Consumer smartphone users do not have equivalent leverage.
Regulatory pressure could mandate D2D activation for emergency scenarios. Some regions are exploring this. Progress is slow.
Until D2D is enabled, these technologies provide infrastructure-independent communication:
Software-only (no additional hardware):
- WiFi Direct mesh networking
- Bluetooth LE mesh networking
- Peer-to-peer over local WiFi
With additional hardware:
- LoRa/Meshtastic devices ($10-35, 1-10km range)
- Amateur radio (requires license)
- Satellite communicators
This repository exists to document the gap between what mobile technology could provide and what it currently delivers.
Contributions welcome:
- Additional technical documentation
- Regulatory analysis by region
- Historical timeline additions
- Translation to other languages
This documentation is released under CC BY 4.0.
Share freely. Attribute appropriately.
This is not about blame. This is about awareness.
Billions of people carry devices capable of forming resilient, infrastructure-independent communication networks. That capability remains dormant by design.
Understanding this is the first step toward changing it.
"The best time to enable D2D was 2014. The second best time is now."