A fisherman far from the coast, a traveller crossing a remote area or a family cut off during a cyclone could soon have another way to stay connected as Banglalink prepares to launch Starlink’s satellite-based mobile service in Bangladesh on 4 October.
The mobile operator has received approval from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to introduce Starlink Direct-to-Cell connectivity, which will allow users to connect through satellites in areas beyond the reach of traditional mobile networks.
With the service, Bangladesh will become the first country in South Asia to introduce Starlink Direct-to-Cell connectivity, according to Banglalink.
Unlike traditional satellite communication systems that require special devices or satellite equipment, the service will work through existing 4G-enabled mobile phones. Customers will not need a separate handset, satellite dish or additional installation.
Initially, Banglalink users will be able to access SMS, data messaging and WhatsApp calls through the satellite connection.
The service combines Banglalink’s existing mobile network with Starlink’s satellite technology to extend coverage to areas where mobile towers cannot provide reliable connectivity, including the sea, remote islands, coastal communities and hill tracts.
For people working at sea or living in isolated areas, the technology could provide a communication lifeline where conventional networks remain unavailable.
It could also help maintain contact during emergencies when cyclones, floods or power outages damage mobile towers and other communication infrastructure.
Banglalink CEO Johan Buse said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that distance or location does not prevent people from accessing mobile services.
“This is ultimately about people, not technology,” Buse said.
A fisherman far out at sea, a family in a remote area, or someone caught in a natural disaster should not have to worry about being beyond the reach of mobile services, he added.
The BTRC approval marks a major step in Banglalink’s plan to expand mobile connectivity beyond the limits of traditional networks and make communication services more resilient, the company said.
The move comes as telecom operators globally explore satellite connectivity as a way to extend mobile coverage to areas where building traditional network infrastructure is difficult or costly.
For Bangladesh, with its long coastline, islands, waterways and disaster-prone regions, satellite-based mobile connectivity could create a new layer of communication access alongside existing terrestrial networks.
