Rogers will be the first wireless company in Canada to bring satellite-to-phone connectivity to Canadians coast-to-coast.
Rogers President and CEO Tony Staffieri announced the telecom’s annual general meeting this week that Rogers will be working with SpaceX and Lynk Global to bring satellite-to-phone connectivity to its customers.
This coverage will work with all 5G and 4G smartphones, supporting SMS and MMS text, and eventually voice and data. In addition, this coverage will allow all Canadians to reach 911 from anywhere in Canada.
“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.
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.”
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.
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