Lynk and Smart test D2D in the Philippines. Photo: Smart

Lynk Global has tested its direct-to-device satellite service on the island of Catanduanes in the Philippines, working with partner Smart Communications. 

Smart’s Network Strategy and Architecture team conducted the tests with Lynk’s technical team, successfully sending text messages between a phone in Catanduanes and a phone in Manila, as well as two phones located within Catanduanes province, using Lynk’s satellites. The teams were also able to access Smart’s website, demonstrating Lynk satellite’s light data capabilities.

Catanduanes is an island southeast of Manila where it is difficult to deploy telco infrastructure. The island was also recently impacted by typhoons Tino and Uwan, which damaged power and telco infrastructure, 

“Smart and Lynk will continue to conduct these tests as Lynk’s technology matures, more Lynk satellites are deployed, and service availability significantly improves,” said Radames Zalameda, head of the Network Strategy and Transformation Office at Smart. “Once commercially available, Smart’s direct-to-device service, enabled by Lynk’s fully deployed satellites, will enable us to respond quickly in emergency situations, ensuring affected Filipinos remain connected via satellite despite adverse conditions,”

Smart Communications is a subsidiary of Philippine telco PLDT. The company has a services agreement with Lynk signed last year. 

Lynk is going through a merger with Omnispace and SES is set to become a strategic investor in the combined company, under a deal announced last year.