Russia working on new satellite constellation to enable phone connectivity

MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/. Russia’s private space company Sputnix (part of the Sputnix Group) is developing advanced satellites that will allow phones to connect directly to satellites, the group’s press service told TASS. "We are planning to develop our satellite constellations. Our work is also aimed at creating new spacecraft, such as ultra-high-resolution and radar satellites. The company is working on developing D2C (Direct-to-Cell) communication satellites (a system that allows smartphones to connect directly to satellites without special equipment - TASS)," the Sputnix Group stated. In late March, the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media reported that the State Commission on Radio Frequencies had allocated frequency bands to the space companies Bureau 1440 and Sputnix for the development of domestic smartphone-to-satellite communications systems for connecting smartphones, tablets, and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to the internet.