THUNDER BAY — A new commercially-available mobile service that uses satellites to connect can help people stay safer in remote areas.
That’s according to Kurtis Jung, a Thunder Bay man who spends a lot of time in the outdoors as a hunter and angler and in his job as a power line technician. Rogers Communications announced in early December the launch of its new Rogers Satellite service, which allows for texting and the use of certain apps using satellites in areas where there’s no cell service.
Over the summer, Jung signed up for a beta-stage trial period Rogers was running, which he said was limited to texting only. Even so, Jung said, he was able to communicate with family.
“My first experience, which was out on Lake Superior in my boat, fishing for salmon out there, so it allowed me to communicate back to my family back home,” he said.
“We did a big overnight trip out on Lake Superior, so that was a good means of communication that was instantaneous.”
Jung said he has also used it when hunting moose with others. “It allows us to communicate between group members, make sure everyone’s safe, (and) know where each other are out in the bush,” he said.
“And try to navigate our moose hunt a little bit better.”
While the trial period was text only, the company — in unveiling the service in a media release on Dec. 9 — announced support for a number of apps like WhatsApp, Google Maps, AccuWeather and others.
“The list of satellite-ready apps will continue to grow as developers update their apps to work over satellite,” the release said.
The company says it is the first Canadian telecom to offer the service commercially. Bell and Telus have announced successful trials of the technology, with Bell expecting to roll out “low Earth orbit direct-to-cell service” in 2026, according to a media release.
Tbaytel, which has had a business partnership agreement with Rogers since 2010, said in an email to Newswatch that the satellite service is exclusive to Rogers’s customers and that “Tbaytel customers would not be able to utilize Rogers’s satellite services for apps.”
Rogers says the service costs $15-per month. It is available throughout Ontario; according to the company, its satellite coverage stops at the northern 58th parallel.
Jung said, for people who live, work or do recreation in more remote areas (snowmobiling season is upon us, he added), services like this help offer peace of mind.
“The main thing is, it’s a good safety factor — when you’re out there, you have the ability to text 911 if there is an emergency,” he said. “It just makes everyone feel better about things.”
“Rogers Satellite will expand next to support data and voice services,” Rogers’s media release said. “This will include 911 voice services for all Canadians.”
