BSNL launches satellite-to-device service for satellite texting, calling on smartphones

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched India's first satellite-to-device connectivity service. new service allows smartphone users to send texts and make calls in areas with little-to-zero cellular connectivity. new service, unveiled at India Mobile Congress in October, leverages low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites to establish connectivity between devices so that users stranded in a remote location can call emergency contacts and helplines.

framework for satellite communication is alrey available on select smartphones, including latest iPhones and Google Pixels, which BSNL could leverage to allow its users to call and text ors in areas without cellular connectivity. According to Department of Telecom, BSNL's new satellite-to-device service will bring "seamless connectivity" to "India's remotest corners."

BSNL has partnered with Viasat, a California-based communications technology company, to use latter's LEO satellites for uninterrupted network access in certain parts of India -- primarily trekking locations in Himachal Presh and Uttarakhand, far-flung hills in Norast India, and villages close to Rajasthan's deserts. state-owned government said its satellite-to-device service has been tested extensively in challenging locations for its capability to maintain a high-quality network that is optimum for sending texts and making calls.

launch brings India to map of countries with satellite connectivity systems open for public use, such as US, Cana, UK, Japan, and Korea. Although India has h a satellite communication system, it has been restricted to military and government uses. BSNL's new service opens functionality to general public, but it will not be accessible unless integrated into devices, such as iPhone, which introduced satellite services in 2022. Users with compatible iPhone models can use satellite communication to “text emergency services, request roside assistance, message friends and family, and share your location.”

Wher BSNL will allow all of those services through its satellite connectivity is also unclear currently. telecom company has also not revealed pricing structure and minimum user eligibility for this service.