Satellite communications company Viasat has announced that it has successfully demonstrated direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity in Saudi Arabia for the first time, in conjunction with its ecosystem partners.
Viasat says it successfully sent satellite-enabled two-way messages and SoS messages for attendees at an event called Connecting the World from the Skies, hosted by the Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the ITU, in Riyadh.
The tests used a commercial Android smartphone enabled for non-terrestrial network (NTN) connectivity with the Bullitt over-the-top messaging application. Bullitt Satellite Messenger service is a direct-to-device NTN messaging service.
The messages were sent over Viasat's L-band spacecraft, which orbits above the Indian Ocean, and were enabled by 3GPP standards-based NTN service infrastructure installed in Viasat's gateways by NTN service provider Skylo, a Viasat ecosystem partner.
Viasat explains that D2D is an emerging technology which allows everyday devices – like mobile phones, cars or industrial machinery – to connect seamlessly to both terrestrial and satellite connectivity without the need for additional dedicated hardware.
The technology follows new 3GPP release 17 standards, which are being adopted by satellite operators, mobile network operators, handset and chipset manufacturers. As our recent feature on D2D satellite connectivity pointed out, this has standardised a number of protocols, enabling higher volume chipset production and therefore more affordable devices, further reducing overall development costs.
The Saudi D2D demonstration was enabled by Viasat's L-band satellite capabilities, with the tests showing satellite to cell phone connectivity feasibility across the region.
The company says its approach of using already-licensed and dedicated satellite spectrum will enable it to work with mobile network operators to provide these services in the future without sacrificing or interfering with any terrestrial spectrum.
