SANTIAGE, Chile, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Chile has become the first country in Latin America to offer satellite coverage for mobile phones, enabling connectivity in remote and hard-to-reach areas through an agreement with Starlink, the satellite Internet service operated by SpaceX.
Entel, one of Chile's four mobile phone operators, has begun implementing Starlink's "Direct to Device" technology to reach areas without a signal, allowing phones to connect and send messages directly to the U.S.-based company's satellites.
"This will save lives of people in remote places by allowing them to call for help," entrepreneur Elon Musk said on his X account when announcing the partnership.
"The ability to send a text message in a critical situation from a place that currently has no connectivity can make a major difference in emergencies and in people's daily lives," Matías del Campo, Entel's vice president for the B2C market, told UPI.
In its initial phase, the technology will allow text messages to be sent in areas without coverage, as long as there is a clear line of sight to the sky. In conditions such as heavy rain or strong winds, which can occur in southern Chile, the signal could be temporarily affected.
