Banglalink launching direct mobile-to-satellite services with Starlink

Banglalink has received approval from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to launch its Starlink Direct-to-Cell service, bringing mobile connectivity to places across Bangladesh beyond the reach of traditional mobile networks.

With this service, Bangladesh becomes the first country in South Asia to introduce Starlink Direct-to-Cell connectivity, according to a press release.

The service is designed to be simple and accessible to everyone. If you can see the stars, you can connect anytime, in a simple and easy way. If you have a Banglalink 4G-enabled phone, you can use the service wherever Starlink Direct-to-Cell coverage is available, without needing a special phone, satellite dish or any additional equipment. There is nothing extra to install or set up.

All Banglalink subscribers with 4G-enabled phones will be able to access the service. Initially, customers will be able to use SMS, data messaging and WhatsApp calls through the satellite connection.

By combining Banglalink’s existing mobile network with Starlink’s satellite technology, the service will extend mobile connectivity beyond conventional network coverage, reaching areas such as the sea, remote islands, coastal communities and hill tracks.

The impact can be especially meaningful for fishermen and people working at sea, communities living in remote areas, and people travelling through locations where mobile coverage is unavailable.

The service can also help people stay connected with their families and reach for help during cyclones, floods and other natural disasters, as well as during electricity outages. When mobile towers, power supplies or other network infrastructure are damaged or unavailable, people can still have a way to reach their families and communicate when they need it most.

For Banglalink, connectivity is about more than providing a network. It is about being there when people need to reach someone who matters.

Starlink Direct-to-Cell extends this commitment beyond the limits of traditional mobile coverage, helping people stay in touch even when they are far from a mobile tower or when circumstances disrupt normal communications.

Whether it is a fisherman checking in with his family from the sea, a traveler passing through a remote area, or someone trying to reach loved ones during a cyclone, flood or power outage, the service reflects Banglalink’s commitment to putting people first and making sure that being far away does not mean being out of reach.

Speaking on the occasion, Johan Buse, CEO of Banglalink, said, “This is ultimately about people, not technology. 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. With Starlink, Banglalink is taking mobile connectivity beyond the boundaries of traditional networks and bringing it to more people, in more places, across Bangladesh.”

The BTRC approval marks a major step in Banglalink’s ambition to make mobile services more accessible, more resilient and less dependent on geography.