Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ:VSAT), a global leader in satellite communications, today announced it has successfully demonstrated direct-to-device satellite connectivity in India for the first time.

Working alongside partner BSNL, India's telecommunications provider, Viasat engineers successfully showcased satellite-powered two-way messaging services for attendees at India Mobile Congress — one of Asia's largest technology fairs. Viasat is currently working with its partners, including BSNL in India, to power the expansion of satellite services on consumer and IoT devices across the world.

In the trial, Viasat demonstrated two-way messaging and SoS messaging using a commercial Android smartphone enabled for non-terrestrial network (NTN) connectivity. The messages were sent roughly 36,000km to one of Viasat's geostationary L-band satellites. The outcome proves satellite services to cell phone connectivity is technically feasible for Indian consumers and businesses using Viasat's satellite network.

Direct-to-device connectivity is a new technology which allows everyday devices – like mobile phones, smart watches, or cars – industrial machinery, and transport operators to connect seamlessly to both terrestrial and satellite coverage. This means devices can stay connected from any location without the need for dedicated hardware to connect to satellites. The new technology follows new global mobile 3GPP release 17 standards, which are currently being adopted by satellite operators, mobile network operators, handset and chipset manufacturers.

Viasat has a longstanding heritage in providing satellite safety services – including providing the backbone of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety Service (GMDSS), with more than 120,000 connected safety terminals, and flight deck safety communications for over 12,000 aircraft. It provides these highly reliable safety communications through its licensed L-band spectrum.

Viasat is also a founding member of MSSA, a non-profit industry association formed to support open interoperable architectures and standards for integrating terrestrial and NTN services. For mobile network operators, using existing licensed satellite spectrum avoids tying up valuable cellular spectrum and avoids new regulatory approval processes.