Sat2Phone telecoms provider Lynk and bmobile Solomon Islands, a mobile operator in the Solomon Islands, have teamed up to launch the initial satellite direct-to-mobile phone (Sat2Phone) services for subscribers, utilising Lynk's "cell-towers-in-space" technology. This collaboration aims to expand mobile coverage beyond Guadalcanal, Malaita, Western, and the Central Province. In an official release, Lynk stated that the initial service will commence as a beta service in Makira, with plans to expand the coverage next year.
Also Read: Lynk Global and PNCC Launch Sat2Phone Service in Palau
Bolstering Mobile Coverage
bmobile provides high-speed data, voice, and SMS communications across the Solomon Islands. Established in 2010, the telco currently operates in four provinces across the country: Guadalcanal, Malaita, Western, and the Central Province.
Lynk supports SMS, broadcasts emergency alerts, and facilitates voice calls on all seven continents, with plans to commence commercial service with multiple Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) worldwide over the course of 2023.
Also Read: Rogers Brings Satellite-To-Phone Coverage to Canada With Lynk Global and SpaceX
Lynk Services in Solomon Islands
"Lynk is humbled and thrilled to bring sat2phone connectivity to the people of Solomon Islands, everywhere in Solomon Islands," says Dan Dooley, Lynk's chief commercial officer.
"For bmobile subscribers, this service will be like no other in use today. Our initial Sat2Phone service will start as a beta service in the Makira and extend next year across the island nation to include all remote areas, including the Solomon Islands maritime economic exclusion zone, which covers more than 1.6 million kilometres. Lynk will also be used to provide back-up services, when natural disasters damage the ground network, to enhance network resilience," Dooley explains.
Also Read: 2degrees and Lynk Global Bring Satellite-To-Phone Coverage to New Zealand
"With over 75 percent of Solomon Islands' residents living outside urban areas in mostly small communities, Lynk's service has the potential to be a game changer for residents and visitors alike," Dooley continues.
Papua New Guinea Service Launch Soon
Lynk is also targeting its service launch this year in Papua New Guinea in partnership with bmobile's parent company Telikom, said the company in a press release.
