Telstea says the collaboration will initially focus on testing and refining a Satellite-to-Mobile (also known as direct to handset) text messaging capability for Australian conditions, ahead of a commercial launch.
Telstra Group Executive of Global Network and Technology, Shailin Sehgal, said the collaboration would enable Telstra customers to send and receive SMS’s on a compatible mobile phone in most parts of Australia where there is a direct line of sight to the sky*.
“This new technology is particularly relevant for Telstra customers that live or travel outside our leading mobile network in regional and remote parts of the country.
“Technology is always evolving and we’re committed to staying at the forefront of innovation so that we can continue to bring the best connectivity experience for our customers. This includes collaborating with global leaders like Starlink to extend our reach and add new coverage to customers in regional and remote parts of Australia.
“Satellite-to-Mobile is still an emerging technology and, together with Starlink, we have the best engineering minds collaborating on how satellite and mobile technology can work together to pioneer a new connectivity option for Australians.
“Telstra already has the largest and most reliable mobile network in Australia covering 99.7% of the Australian population over an area of 3 million square kilometres, which is more than 1 million square kilometres greater than our nearest competitor. But Australia’s landmass is vast and there will always be large areas where mobile and fixed networks do not reach, and this is where satellite technology will play a complementary role to our existing networks.”
Telstra notes that “Satellite-to-Mobile creates a future where outdoor connectivity for basic services will be possible from some of Australia’s most remote locations, including in some parts of the ocean where mobile coverage isn’t available. As satellite technology continues to evolve to support voice, data and IoT we will explore opportunities for the commercial launch of those new services.
“In 2023 Telstra became the first provider in the world to offer consumer grade voice-only and voice plus broadband powered by Starlink fixed satellite services to rural and remote Telstra customers. The service is now available to consumers and small businesses with up to five employees, with a data-only available for enterprise customers.”
More information on the service is available here.
