When Sara Spangelo was growing up in Manitoba, she recalls power outages, especially during the winter months, and spring floods. Workers would drive across vast stretches of the province to get to the root of the problem, often with limited network service along the way. Today, in her capacity working in partnership with Rogers Communications as a senior director of satellite engineering at SpaceX, she imagines how utilities and personnel can use Direct to Cell IoT, messaging, and future voice technologies to better monitor and respond to these emergencies.
Rogers is partnering with SpaceX and Lynx Global to bring satellite-to-mobile connectivity to Canada. The company’s national wireless network reaches nearly all Canadians with coverage, but because of the country’s size, its network covers 12 percent of Canada’s landmass. That’s a lot of territory to cover, and the company’s investment in satellite-to-mobile technology will ensure Canadians stay connected in areas beyond the limits of traditional wireless networks.
Satellite-to-mobile operates similarly to cellphone towers by allowing standard mobile phones to maintain a connection to wireless networks through satellites in low orbit around Earth. What that means is anyone with a smartphone can call, text, or access data anywhere they are.
Spangelo stresses the technology’s human aspect too.
“It’s about peace of mind,” she says. “Whether you are in the middle of a Great Lake, hiking on a mountain, or just in a super remote place between the cities, you’ll be able to connect.”
For Tony Staffieri, president and CEO of Rogers, bringing satellite-to-mobile connectivity to the most remote parts of Canada is part of how Rogers is shaping the future.
“Innovation has always been a part of our DNA,” says Staffieri. “We are always thinking about ‘what’s next, what is it that the customer is likely looking for, and how do we bring the best technology and innovation to Canada and to Canadians?”
