Canadian carrier Rogers Communications announced that it complete the first satellite-direct-to-cell (Sat2Phone) voice call via low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites owned by Lynk Global, which is scheduled to launch commercial Sat2Phone service in Canada with Rogers during 2024.

Lynk CEO Charles Miller said phone call was between Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey (pictured above, on the right) and a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Search and Rescue Association, who was located beyond the coverage footprint of Rogers’ terrestrial network. The call leveraged Rogers’ spectrum and Lynk LEO satellites that act as cellular towers in space that work with ordinary smart devices on the ground, according to a press release from Rogers.

“We’re bringing coverage to Canada’s most remote areas to improve public safety and to connect communities that aren’t connected today,” said Tony Staffieri, president and CEO at Rogers. “We’re proud to work with Lynk to bring Canadians the very latest global technology that will give them access to 911 and wireless services.”

The phone call was made between Andrew Furey, premier of the Newfoundland and Labrador province, and a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Search and Rescue Association, using Lynk’s low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites and Rogers national wireless spectrum.

“Newfoundland and Labrador is a vast, largely rural province, and connectivity is an important issue for us. As Premier, I am excited about the breakthrough technology Rogers is testing to improve network coverage and the safety of people in our province and across the country,” Furey said.

Rogers also noted that it will launch satellite-to-mobile phone technology in 2024, starting with SMS texting, mass notifications and machine-to-machine AI applications, and then expand the service to include voice and data services. This new technology will deliver wireless services to the country’s most remote wilderness, national parks and rural highways, the telco said.

“The Lynk team is proud to showcase a comprehensive range of Sat2Phone capabilities with Rogers, including data, voice, messaging, and mass notifications,” said Charles Miller, co-founder and CEO, Lynk. “Our mission is aligned with Rogers’ deep commitment to ensure connectivity for all Canadians no matter where they live, work and travel.”

In April, Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications announced the completion of their proposed merger after receiving final regulatory approval from the Canadian government.

As part of the commitments included in the conditions for the approval of the transaction, Rogers said it will invest at least CAD2.5 billion (currently $1.86 billion) to enhance its 5G network in Western Canada and CAD3 billion in additional network service expansion projects.

Rogers committed to creating 3,000 new jobs in Western Canada and maintaining them for a minimum of 10 years after the closing date. The telco will also establish a headquarters in Calgary and will invest CAD1 billion to expand broadband Internet access, at speeds of at least 50/10 megabits per second and 5G mobile service in areas where it is not currently available.