Rogers launches satellite-to-mobile service

If I'm reading this right, no more need for a separate dedicated satellite communicator (Garmin InReach, etc.) while traveling in remote areas? Not sure where the 5.4 million square kilometers covers, though.

Rogers explained that the technology automatically connects users’ phones to a satellite signal in areas without cellular coverage​

In sum – what to know:

Canada’s first sat-to-phone service – Rogers becomes the first Canadian carrier to offer satellite-to-mobile messaging, dramatically expanding coverage to over 5.4 million sq. km.

Free beta – The Rogers Satellite beta is free for all users through October and will support text, text-to-911 and eventually voice and data.

Connectivity where it matters – The service is seen as a public safety boost, enabling communications in regions previously unreachable by traditional networks.

Canadian telco Rogers Communications has launched a beta version of Rogers Satellite, a new satellite-to-mobile text messaging service, making it the first wireless provider in the country to offer direct satellite connectivity to mobile phones.

In a release, the telco noted that the new offering extends wireless coverage to over 5.4 million square kilometers.

The telco explained that the technology automatically connects users’ phones to a satellite signal in areas without cellular coverage, enabling text messaging and access to emergency services such as text-to-911. It uses Rogers’ national wireless spectrum combined with low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity, making it compatible with most modern smartphones.

Tony Staffieri, president and CEO of Rogers, said: “We’re proud to introduce this ground-breaking technology to help Canadians stay safe and connected in more places. This next-generation service marks another major milestone in wireless connectivity.”

The telco launched the Rogers Satellite beta program at no cost. During the beta phase, users will be able to send text messages and access text-to-911 services. Voice and data capabilities — including 911 voice support — are expected to roll out later.

Once the beta concludes in October, the service will be bundled at no additional charge for customers on Rogers’ Ultimate Plan, or available to others for CAD15 ($11) per month.

The telco also noted that only about 18% of the country’s territory is covered by traditional wireless networks. With the new satellite service, users will be able to stay connected in remote locations like the Rocky Mountains, northern Quebec and the southern coasts of Hudson Bay.

Mark Kennedy, chief technology officer at Rogers, added: “Now, with Rogers mobile spectrum paired with satellite technology, Canadians can turn their smartphone into a satellite phone. This allows access to text-to-911 and basic connectivity in some of the country’s most remote areas.”

The service is accessible in outdoor areas with a clear view of the sky, including over water. The company said testing and optimization will continue throughout the trial.

Earlier this year, Rogers Communications started to deploy Ericsson 5G Advanced (5G-A) technology on its national network, claiming to be the first carrier in Canada to launch such technology. Rogers is rolling out Ericsson’s 5G Advanced RedCap software to power IoT devices, such as sensors, cameras and monitoring equipment. This technology enables the telco to use network resources more efficiently, while it supports longer battery life for wearables.

In February 2024, Rogers Communications said it had successfully tested 5G network slicing technology, stating that it was the first nationwide live test of this technology in Canada.

The operator tested 5G network slicing technology in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in partnership with Ericsson on the company’s 5G SA network.

Rogers said it will use network slicing technology this year to offer a dedicated network slice for first responders to have priority on the network. The company will also use this technology to separate fixed and mobile traffic on its national 5G network and accelerate the expansion of 5G wireless home internet to more rural and remote communities across Canada, which will enable the telco to optimize and dedicate traffic flows to ensure a more reliable service for both residential and mobile users.

I find it a little funny that Rogers of all companies felt timid about mentioning Starlink in the press release

You can try it out for free: How to sign up for the Rogers satellite-to-mobile beta plan

TwistedKestrel said:

I find it a little funny that Rogers of all companies felt timid about mentioning Starlink in the press release.

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Starlink, imagine that Rogers hooking up with a US company.

I used to be with Rogers for over two decades, but unfortunately that company missed out on a course called "competitiveness" and I finally switched.

And if you used a mobile service in Europe and Australia (unlimited overseas mobile calls included), Canada is still in the dark ages.

The start of this pre-dated the current political climate.

The coverage is south of the territories.

Some devices do support emergencies over satellite, on a manufacturer level and only for 911. So this is more for communicating than emergencies. It is for SMS only. Not data, not calling. Good for say, Garmin Inreach type subscribers as you said and long haul truckers.

For emergencies I'd sooner get an Iridium sat phone.

Some years ago when I considered doing Iceland for a month, I checked into an Iridium. Back then they were slightly bigger than a cell phone and going for about $750 and an annual package was about $360. I would only be using this for emergencies. That or get an EPIRB or PLB.

You don't need Iridium for emergencies. Some phones already do it for free.
Apple, available now Use Emergency SOS via satellite on your iPhone - Apple Support (CA)
and Get emergency help through satellite with your Pixel phone - Pixel Phone Help for North America.


Obviously this is not a solution for Bear Grylls and the like. It's for Bingo Bob at his northerly cottage that has **** cellular service when he needs to let his wife know that they'll be late coming back cause they all got blackout drunk. Bob's not going to spring for an Iridium sat phone or carry one around. It's monetizing a market segment that would be very unprofitable to serve otherwise.

Aens said:

You don't need Iridium for emergencies. Some phones already do it for free.

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With the same coverage world-wide? Same coverage as Iridium?

Cool!

Just got the eSim installed on my phone and my wife's.

I turned off data switching because we're only given 500MB of data, so that could get chewed up quite quickly. Will only use it for text and emergency calls.

We're doing a ride in the bush tomorrow where we know there's 0 service. Will report back!

This could be a real game changer.

My buddy is working Search and Rescue today, says he's already signed up and it works perfectly.

MCT said:

With the same coverage world-wide? Same coverage as Iridium?

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LOL, not the same coverage, but not the same price plusand there's additional hardware to buy and maintain. This sounds like it gives me the coverage I'm missing for all the riding I do in Canada, so it's miuch more cost effective.

EDIT: That was regarding the new Rogers service. If you're asking about Emergency Sat availability, here's the blurb from Apple:

• Emergency SOS via satellite is available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S.4
• Availability in other regions is subject to regulation by government agencies, necessary approvals, and other market specific requirements. Apple is working to bring these capabilities to more regions as soon as possible.
• International travelers who visit a country or region where Emergency SOS via satellite is available can use the feature while visiting, except if they bought their iPhone in certain countries or regions5.

4. Including the Archipelago of Madeira, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, the Azores, the Balearic Islands (Ibiza, Formentera, Mallorca, and Menorca), the Canary Islands (El Hierro, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, La Palma, Lanzarote, and Tenerife), the Collectivity of Saint Martin, Saint Pierre & Miquelon, Corsica, Coral Sea, Guadeloupe, Islands of Sicily and Sardinia, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Martinique, Orkney Islands, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthelemy, Scottish Hebrides, Shetland Islands, Sovereign states of San Marino and Vatican City, Torres Strait, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

5. Satellite connectivity isn't offered on iPhone models purchased in Armenia, Belarus, China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.

Relax said:

LOL, not the same coverage, but not the same price plus and there's additional hardware to buy and maintain.

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When it comes to situations in an emergency, price isn't a factor in my books.

There are all these devices that came out some years ago (SPOT for example) that could be used in emergency situations that weren't all that reliable.

But whatever the owner is happy with, that is all that matters.

MCT said:

When it comes to situations in an emergency, price isn't a factor in my books.

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Except if you actually read it and saw that the 'emergency' part of the listed examples are 'free' and the 'communicate' part is what's not free. But why read when you can espouse your opinion.

Wow! This satellite->cell service works amazingly well!



Couple of gotchas though.

We didn't roam far enough from civilization, so I was still able to get Emergency 9-1-1 cell signal from another provider, but no calls, text or data.

Because my primary provider was able to lock onto Emergency Services, it didn't roll over to Rogers Satellite service automatically. I had to disable my primary SIM and make the Rogers Satellite SIM my primary. Took a minute or two holding the phone up to an empty sky and then the ROGERS SATELLITE service notification showed up at the top of the screen.

Sent an SMS text via satellite. Sent and received perfectly, no delays.

This just might put an end to all of those Zoleo/InReach devices.

I'm going to keep my InReach subscription till the end of the year, but play around with the Rogers Satellite service even after the Beta completes. Only $10/month if you're an existing Rogers Ultimate customer and $15 if not. Much, much cheaper than my current Garmin subscription. We're heading to some pretty remote areas in the next couple of months, so I want to see what kind of coverage they have out in the deep wilderness.

MCT said:

When it comes to situations in an emergency, price isn't a factor in my books.

There are all these devices that came out some years ago (SPOT for example) that could be used in emergency situations that weren't all that reliable.

But whatever the owner is happy with, that is all that matters.

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Have you tried the new service and compared it to whatever satellite system you're currently using? That's the only way to tell if you're actually getting better reliability for the extra money. But all else equal, it's nice to see a relatively low cost option for travelling to part of canada just outside regular cellular coverage, like the one time a year I'm up in Algonquin Park. I haven't even bought an InReach yet because I can't justify the device and service costs for the rare times I might need it.

Lightcycle said:

I'm going to keep my InReach subscription till the end of the year, but play around with the Rogers Satellite service even after the Beta completes. Only $10/month if you're an existing Rogers Ultimate customer and $15 if not. Much, much cheaper than my current Garmin subscription. We're heading to some pretty remote areas in the next couple of months, so I want to see what kind of coverage they have out in the deep wilderness.

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So my buddy who is also in the Beta pointed out to me that Rogers Satellite coverage is Canada only.

We do so many international trips, that I may be forced to keep the Garmin subscription.

The SOS satellite beacon vendors may still have a bit more life left in them.

Relax said:

Have you tried the new service and compared it to whatever satellite system you're currently using?

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I am not using any satellite system at the moment simply because I am not in a remote area.

But I have read from many SPOT users in the past where it wasn't reliable. It need to be 100% reliable, not 80% or whatever.