Canadian Operator Opens Free Satellite-to-Mobile Service During B.C. Wildfire Emergency

Canadian operator Rogers has opened its satellite-to-mobile service free of charge to customers in British Columbia, as wildfires continue to disrupt communities and communications across the province.

The temporary access applies to Rogers individual, business and government customers, providing an additional connectivity layer in areas where standard cellular coverage is unavailable or where towers and power infrastructure may be affected by wildfire damage or hydro outages.

Rogers Satellite supports text messaging, Text-to-911 and selected apps including WhatsApp, Messenger and Google Maps on compatible devices. The company said the move will also help pilot the use of satellite-to-mobile connectivity during emergencies and natural disasters.

The deployment comes as British Columbia remains under a provincewide state of emergency, with more than 100 active wildfires burning across the region. Nearly half of those fires are reported to be out of control, underlining the need for resilient communications when terrestrial infrastructure is damaged or unavailable.

Rogers said its teams are working to keep affected communities connected, while positioning satellite-to-mobile as a backup layer for families, businesses, government users and first responders operating beyond the reach of conventional towers.