O2 Business has become the first UK mobile network to offer direct-to-device satellite connectivity to business customers, thanks to the launch of its O2 Satellite for Business scheme.
As a result, the service is designed to help businesses stay connected in areas where traditional mobile coverage is not available.
The service connects compatible smartphones to satellites automatically when users leave O2’s normal coverage area. No extra equipment or apps are needed, the telecoms giant revealed.
According to O2, the service will increase its UK landmass coverage from 89% to 95%, allowing customers to use it for messaging, maps, weather updates and location sharing through apps such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Google Maps, Apple Maps, BBC Weather and AllTrails.
O2 Satellite for Business works on compatible Apple, Google and Samsung smartphones, with the technology already being used by Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service. During a major wildfire, O2 provided 100 satellite-enabled phones to help crews stay in contact in an area without traditional mobile coverage.
O2 Business CEO, Jo Bertam, said: “Businesses increasingly rely on always-on connectivity, but work doesn’t stop where mobile coverage ends. That’s why we’re bringing direct-to-device satellite connectivity to our business customers, becoming the first UK business mobile network to do so.
“O2 Satellite for Business extends connectivity beyond the reach of traditional mobile networks, helping organisations stay connected in more places through the smartphones they already use every day. It’s another example of how we’re using technology to breathe simplicity into the way business works.”
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