Viasat Demonstrates Mexico’s First Satellite-to-Smartphone SMS
Viasat has successfully demonstrated native SMS messaging and push-to-talk (PTT) via satellite on a standard Android smartphone in Mexico City, the first time this has been carried out in Mexico.
During the live demo, Viasat connected everyday smartphones to its I-4 F3 satellite using 3GPP Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) standards, enabling one device connected via satellite to exchange messages with another on a traditional cellular network. The company also showcased its HMD Offgrid companion device for satellite-based messaging and PTT.
All communications were carried over Viasat’s global L-band network, powered by Skylo’s 3GPP NTN infrastructure. The achievement builds on similar D2D trials completed by Viasat in India, Brazil, the Middle East, and Hawaii, highlighting the company’s growing global leadership in standards-based satellite-to-phone services.
Viasat is playing a key role in defining this emerging ecosystem as a founding member of the Mobile Satellite Services Association (MSSA), and through its Equatys joint venture with Space42, aimed at evolving global mobile satellite services into the 5G era.