ViaSat completes first satellite SMS messages on Android phone in Mexico

Viasat (VSAT) completed an-in-country first-of-its-kind direct-to-device demonstration in Mexico – featuring native Short Message Service messages on the Android smartphone. The demonstration showcased smartphones sending and receiving messages over Viasat’s I-4 F3 satellite using 3GPP Non-Terrestrial Network standards. In a country-first, native SMS messages were shared across two mass market Android smartphones, with one connected via satellite and the other to a traditional cellular network. Viasat also showcased satellite connectivity, including SMS and push-to-talk capabilities, using the HMD Offgrid, a companion device. All messages were sent and received using Viasat’s highly reliable, global, L-band satellite capabilities, enabled by 3GPP standards-based NTN RAN and CORE infrastructure from Skylo, a Viasat ecosystem partner.