Rogers Communications Inc. and SpaceX have announced the companies have agreed to bring satellite-to-phone coverage nation-wide to ensure Canadians stay connected in areas beyond the limits of traditional wireless networks.
Rogers and SpaceX will offer satellite-to-phone technology in Canada using SpaceX’s Starlink low earth orbit satellites and Rogers national wireless spectrum. The companies plan to start with satellite coverage for SMS text and will eventually provide voice and data across the country’s most remote wilderness, national parks and rural highways that are unconnected today.
“As the country’s biggest investor in 5G spectrum with Canada’s largest 5G network, Rogers is proud to work with SpaceX to expand wireless coverage across all of Canada, from coast to coast, to keep Canadians connected and safe,” said Tony Staffieri, President and CEO, Rogers. “In the future, these investments will deliver wireless connectivity, including access to 911, to even the most remote areas.”
“As a Canadian, I’m excited that SpaceX is collaborating with Rogers to bring SpaceX’s Direct to Cell service to Canadians. I’m proud of the impact this will have across the country wherever Canadians may work, play or travel,” said Sara Spangelo, co-lead for Direct to Cell at SpaceX.
Once commercially available, satellite-to-phone coverage will work with all 5G and 4G smartphones. The coverage will support SMS and MMS text, and help all Canadians reach 911 as first responders and emergency services upgrade their systems for emergency SMS texting.
Rogers is committed to improving public safety through its national network investments. This includes the company’s commitment to bring wireless service and 911 access throughout the entire Toronto subway system for all TTC riders and extend wireless coverage along Canada’s remote highways.
Today’s announcement builds on the company’s investment to bring Canadians the largest 5G wireless network covering more than 2,000 communities. Through its transformative merger with Shaw, Rogers now brings Canadians a national coast to coast wireline network with fibre-powered internet available to nearly 70% of Canadian households.
Rogers and Lynk Global
Rogers Communications Inc. today announced it is partnering with Lynk Global to test and bring satellite-to-phone connectivity across Canada to ensure Canadians can access a wireless connection, no matter where they are.
Rogers will begin to expand satellite-to-phone coverage in 2024 across Canada’s most remote regions and rural highways not covered by any wireless networks. The service will start with SMS texting and over time will expand to include voice and data to help all Canadians reach 911 with 5G and 4G smartphones.
“From underground transit systems in Canada’s largest cities, to cell towers in space covering Northern communities, Rogers is leading to bring Canadians the biggest and best wireless networks across the country, to keep them connected and safe,” said Tony Staffieri, President and CEO, Rogers. “Emergencies do not wait and that is one of the reasons why we are investing to make sure Canadians can always reach 911 from anywhere in Canada.”
Today’s announcement builds on the company’s investment to bring Canadians the largest 5G wireless network covering more than 2,000 communities. Through its transformative merger with Shaw, Rogers now brings Canadians a national coast to coast wireline network with fibre-powered internet available to nearly 70% of Canadian households.
Rogers is committed to improving public safety through its national network investments. This includes the company’s commitment to bring wireless service and 911 access throughout the entire Toronto subway system for all TTC riders and extend wireless coverage along Canada’s remote highways. To bring satellite-to-phone coverage across Canada, Rogers has conducted successful technical tests with Lynk satellites in remote British Columbia and will start testing in Atlantic Canada.
“Improving cellular service availability is vital to enhancing public safety for people living in and travelling through remote and rural parts of B.C. and across Canada where there is no network access,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Citizens’ Services. “This initiative builds on our government’s work to expand reliable connectivity and cellular coverage along highways for emergency communications services that will help keep people safe and improve emergency responses. When complete, this added and innovative approach to bring services to the hardest to reach areas of our province will increase the safety of people and first responders in B.C. and throughout Canada.”
“Everyone deserves to have access to seamless connectivity and emergency services, no matter where they live. That’s why Lynk is thrilled to partner with Rogers to help bring continuous wireless coverage to Canadians,” said Charles Miller, Lynk CEO and co-founder. “Rogers is the ideal partner for Lynk because of the company’s strong, national spectrum holdings and national wireless networks. We look forward to working with the Rogers team to ensure every single Canadian can call 911 in an emergency or connect from wherever they are.”
Rogers and its satellite partners will work closely with the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Public Safety Canada, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and first responder emergency services to obtain regulatory approvals and bring this technology to Canada.
Lynk is the world’s only patented, proven, and commercially-licensed satellite-direct-to-standard-mobile-phone system. Lynk is currently testing sat2phone services in more than 20 countries and has 30+ agreements with MNOs.
Today, Lynk is the only company in the world to have successfully sent and received text messages to and from space via unmodified standard mobile devices. From the beginning, Lynk will enable two-way emergency messaging, emergency cell broadcast services, and regular SMS messaging on every phone across the globe.
By partnering with Lynk via a simple roaming agreement, a mobile network operator opens the door to new revenue in untapped markets, gives subscribers peace of mind with ubiquitous connectivity, and provides a pathway to economic prosperity for billions of the world’s citizens.
