BSNL launches satellite phone services

 Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, country’s only authorised service provider for satellite phone services, launched the Global Satellite Phone Service (GSPS) here on Saturday.

In a simple function, Deputy General Manager (Enterprise Business), Tamil Nadu Circle, BSNL, S. Elangovan, and Assistant General Manager (Enterprise Business), Narayanan, launched the service and explained the salient features of BSNL’s GSPS to the fishermen for whom the revolutionary communication gadget would come in handy as they practice multiday deep-sea stay fishing.
Mr. Elangovan said the BSNL’s satellite-based mobile phone service provides voice call and SMS facility using satellite communication without any mobile network or any signal from a mobile tower and keeps the user connected in the remotest corner through direct linkage with the satellite.
A SIM card having unique mobile number is allotted for this service and will cover the entire country, including exclusive economic zones.
“The service can be availed outside India also on roaming basis,” Mr. Elangovan said.
Apart from global coverage, BSNL satellite phone provides location-based services like tracking facility, GPS location, emergency alert etc.
“Once the text message is sent during an emergency, the GPS will coordinate the user’s current location to one or more recipients automatically, which will enable the rescue operation easier. In a critical situation, the ‘assistance’ button allows the user to send text messages to predefined numbers and voice call to a predefined number automatically,” Mr. Elangovan said.
He said the dependable connectivity, high-quality voice, rugged design, incoming call alerts, extended battery capacity of 8 hours talk time and 100 hours standby, internal speakerphone, Bluetooth, lightweight etc. are some of the key features of the satellite phone.
“Though this phone will be immensely useful for fishermen of Thoothukudi district, especially the fishermen practising multiday deep-sea fishing, it can also be used for relief and rescue operations during natural disasters that would usually hit other communication modes,” Mr. Elangovan noted.
A group of fishermen from Tharuvaikulam, having 125 mechanised boats participated in the event.
Assistant General Manager (Sales) L. Vijayalakshmi and Sub-Divisional Engineer (Marketing) Eskalin were present.