Inmarsat parent company Viasat reports that it has successfully demonstrated direct-to-device satellite connectivity in India for the first time.
For the trial, Viasat demonstrated two-way messaging and SoS messaging using a commercial Android smartphone enabled for non-terrestrial network (NTN) connectivity.
The messages were sent roughly 36,000km to one of Viasat’s geostationary L-band satellites.
The company says that the outcome proves that satellite to cell phone connectivity is technically feasible using Viasat’s satellite network.
Direct-to-device connectivity allows devices to connect to both terrestrial and satellite coverage, allowing them to stay connected without the need for dedicated hardware to connect to satellites. The technology follows new global mobile 3GPP release 17 standards, which are currently being adopted by satellite operators, mobile network operators, handset and chipset manufacturers.
Viasat’s L-band network currently provides FleetBroadband connectivity to vessels on a global basis and is used to deliver the Global Maritime Distress and Safety Service (GMDSS), with more than 120,000 connected safety terminals.
