MediaTek today announced that it will launch chipsets specifically designed to facilitate this type of communication, thus following in the footsteps of Apple and Huawei, which already offer the possibility of sending emergency SMS without mobile coverage of any kind. The first devices to make use of this hardware will be manufactured by Motorola and Cat Phones, responsible for the Motorola Defy Satellite Link and Cat S75, respectively.
The Motorola Defy Satellite Link is a Bluetooth keychain that allows Android or iOS phones without a chipsets with satellite connectivity can access Inmarsat and Echostar satellites using the Bullitt Satellite Connect connectivity platform (Bullitt, let’s remember, is the parent company of Cat Phones) to send messages. These missives will not only include a text of up to 140 characters, but also location information generated by the Bullitt Satellite Messenger (BSM) application so that emergency services can locate the user if necessary.
The keychain, which is resistant to water and shock with IP68 and MIL-STD-810H certificates, has a MediaTek 3GPP NTN modem, an eSIM card and its own GPS module powered from a 600 mAh battery. In case it is not necessary to access the phone to send an emergency message, it is possible to send an alert using the SOS button. As reported by Bullitt in his press release, the message will be received by a FocusPoint International alert center.
The Motorola Defy Satellite will be priced at 119 euros. Regardless of the device, you will have to subscribe to an assistance package, which will cost 4.99 euros per month in the case of the Essentials package (up to 30 two-way messages per month and SOS service), although a one-year package will also be offered subscription included for 169 euros.
Cat S75, a very resistant mobile with already integrated satellite communication
As far as phones are concerned, the first compatible mobile will be the Cat S75, which in the American continent will be rebranded as Motorola Defy 2.
This reinforced mobile incorporates the connectivity options mentioned in a single device, otherwise offering a 6.6-inch screen, a 5,000 mAh battery and a rather bland but extremely resistant chassis (withstands falls from 1.8 meters and it can even be washed with detergents).
- Display: 6.6-inch FHD+, 120Hz, Gorilla Glass Victus
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity D930
- Memory: 6GB
- Storage: 128 GB (expandable)
- Rear camera: 50+8+2 MP (main, ultra-wide, macro)
- Front camera: 8MP
- Battery: 5,000 mAh with fast charging (15 W) and Qi wireless
- Dimensions and weight: 171 x 80 x 11.9 mm and 268 grams
- Other: Android 12 (upgradable to 13 and 14), 5G, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, USB-C, fingerprint reader, IP68, IP69K, Mil-Spec 810H
Already available, the price of the Cat S75 is 629 euros, a rate that includes a three-month trial of the Bullitt Satellite Messenger Essentials service.
