Rogers Communications opens Rogers Satellite province-wide in British Columbia for wildfire pilot
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Rogers Communications Inc. opened Rogers Satellite province-wide for all Rogers wireless customers in British Columbia as wildfires spread. The change extended satellite-to-mobile connectivity beyond areas covered by traditional cellular service, including during outages tied to wildfire damage.
Rogers Satellite provides connectivity where cell coverage was not available, including situations where a cellular tower was down because of damage from a wildfire or hydro outage and in areas outside the reach of towers, such as remote highways. Rogers said the rollout covered all Rogers wireless customers in British Columbia, including businesses and government, as a pilot to assess how satellite-to-mobile technology supports safety during emergencies and natural disasters.
Rogers Satellite supports text messaging and text-to-911. The company also said the service supported satellite-ready apps, including WhatsApp, Messenger, and Google Maps on compatible devices. It described the service as available outside, including on bodies of water where a view of the sky was available, and it said coverage depended on the Rogers Satellite coverage map.
Rogers said the technology worked on most modern smartphones and was rolled out to all existing Rogers wireless customers in B.C. on the day of the announcement. The pilot ran during the B.C. government’s state of provincial emergency. Rogers matched new donations to the Canadian Red Cross up to $100,000 and launched text-to-donate, making it possible to donate $5 by texting ROGERS to 20222. The company also said it automatically credited customers’ Rogers internet, TV, and home phone services for the duration of an evacuation period.
“We’re committed to helping British Columbians affected by these devastating wildfires,” said Tony Staffieri, President and CEO, Rogers. “Our teams are working around the clock to help keep people connected. As the only Canadian carrier with satellite-to-mobile technology, with this pilot Rogers is providing an added layer of connectivity where it’s needed - helping families reach loved ones and first responders stay connected on the job.”
Press release, provided by Globe Newswire on behalf of Rogers Communications. Read the original.