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4w ago

Rogers Launches Satellite Text Beta to Extend Connectivity Across Canada

The free beta harnesses SpaceX Starlink satellites to connect any 4G or 5G phone to text-to-911 service in areas beyond cell towers

Rogers Communications signage is pictured in Ottawa on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. Rogers Communications Inc. has launched a new satellite-to-mobile text messaging service, marking the latest step in its partnership with SpaceX and Lynk Global to eventually deliver full satellite-to-phone coverage across apps, data and voice service. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Overview

  • Canadians with any mobile provider and a 4G or 5G phone can access the Rogers Satellite text service free through October and will pay $15 per month afterward with a $5 monthly discount for trial participants and inclusion in the Rogers Ultimate Plan.
  • The service uses Rogers’s wireless spectrum linked to SpaceX’s Starlink low-earth orbit satellites, with additional partnerships signed with Lynk Global, Telesat, Terrestar and Skylo to broaden coverage.
  • Initial beta coverage reaches all provinces south of the 58th parallel, excluding Canada’s northern territories, and is set to expand as more satellites deploy.
  • Users can send standard text messages and trigger text-to-911, with emergency texts routed to a central public-safety operator that dispatches local response teams.
  • Future updates will roll out support for social messaging apps, data connectivity and full voice services, including 911 voice calling, as the satellite network grows.