In a major change in the world of telecommunications, Airtel and Starlink have jointly launched ‘Direct-to-Mobile’ (D2D) satellite connectivity service. The first phase of this service is offering a 30-day free trial in Africa. Airtel Africa has launched this exciting service in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Through this free trial, customers can access network facilities directly through satellite without any additional equipment. This will be a boon for people in forests, mountains or remote areas where mobile towers are difficult to reach.
What is ‘Direct-to-Mobile’ satellite connectivity?
No special satellite phone or Starlink’s large dish antenna is required to use this service. It will work directly on ordinary smartphones. The sky must be completely clear and open while using it. Problems may arise if this signal is received inside a closed room or a solid building.
What will be available in the 30-day free trial?
According to reports, Airtel Africa is offering its customers a 30-day free trial of this service through the MyAirtel app. In the initial phase, only low-data-consuming tasks such as sending SMS and WhatsApp messages can be done through it. High-speed internet browsing or voice calls will not be possible through this service. It is mainly designed to get rid of the problem of network down and continue communication in remote areas.
When will this service come to India?
After this successful trial in Africa, there has been a lot of enthusiasm among Indian customers. When this service will come to India depends mainly on two major factors – Starlink’s commercial launch in India and the expansion of satellite services by other telecom companies in the country. Jio and Airtel’s ‘OneWeb’ have already obtained the necessary government approvals for satellite broadband.
On the other hand, Elon Musk’s SpaceX’s Starlink is also in the process of getting Indian regulatory approvals. So, while major companies like Jio, Airtel and Starlink are all set to provide this service, it is expected that such direct-to-mobile satellite services will be seen in the Indian market as soon as the government approval is received.
