Background on Altán Redes and its New Initiative
Altán Redes, a Mexican company with a mandate for digital inclusion among the less privileged, has secured a concession to experiment with Direct to Cell technology. This initiative aims to enhance their commercial offerings and those of retail operators who purchase capacity from Altán for resale to end-users in various mobile data packages.
AST Spacemobile: A Strategic Partner
Altán has chosen AST Spacemobile, a Texas-based company with Mexican investment through Carlos Slim’s involvement, as their partner in this endeavor. A relative of the entrepreneur holds a directorship position at AST Spacemobile.
Direct to Cell Technology: Bridging Connectivity Gaps
Direct to Cell technology enables mobile phones to connect directly to satellite coverage when traditional cellular networks are unavailable or insufficient. This technology primarily focuses on messaging and geolocation services, making it ideal for areas like Los Cienes in Ojinaga, Chihuahua, where Altán plans to experiment with the technology for emergency situations.
Global and Latin American Adoption
Direct to Cell technology is gaining traction internationally, particularly with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellation. In Latin America, Entel was the first to test such calls in Chile’s Atacama Desert, followed by Peru. Now, Brazil is exploring similar options with Chinese satellite constellations. Altán’s initiative aims to position itself as a pioneer in this field.
Context: Connectivity Challenges in Ojinaga, Chihuahua
Los Cienes, according to the former Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT), has limited cellular coverage, with internet access primarily reinforced by fixed broadband and free Wi-Fi hotspots. The town has 2,667 fixed broadband access points for a population of 30,000.
However, 73% of the existing cellular coverage in Ojinaga and Los Cienes is 2G, making it difficult for the majority of the 19,261 mobile users to access cellular internet despite Chihuahua’s 102 internet access points per 100 inhabitants.
In the latest mass mobile spectrum concession, the IFT granted Altán Redes two years of 10 MHz bandwidth for satellite signal transmission in Los Cienes, a remote location three hours from Chihuahua City.
Altán’s Experimentation with Direct to Cell
Altán is now authorized to experiment with Direct to Cell using the 723-728 MHz and 778-783 MHz frequency bands, supported by AST Spacemobile’s satellite constellation.
Although most of Altán’s traffic operates in the 787-796 MHz segment, this experiment poses minimal technical challenges.
AST Spacemobile’s Satellite Constellation
AST Spacemobile boasts a low Earth orbit satellite constellation that could be as appealing as Starlink’s. Currently, AST Spacemobile operates 40 satellites and plans to launch another 60 starting in 2026. The company holds spectrum licenses in the 1.9 GHz and 2.5 GHz bands, though Altán will use the 700 MHz band for its Direct to Cell experiments.
“Given the rapid development of this industry, it’s pertinent to grant these enabling titles for studies and testing the viability of Direct to Device services. This service holds significant potential for regions in Mexico… If we have 4G or 5G, we can browse on our mobile devices; this new service type would enable the same,” stated the IFT in its resolution supporting Altán Redes.
Direct to Cell Adoption Around the World
Currently, only a few operators worldwide provide Direct to Cell services, primarily through SpaceX’s Starlink. These include T-Mobile in the US, Entel in Chile and Peru, KDDI in Japan, and Rogers in Canada.
An estimated 190 mobile device models support this technology, with manufacturers like Huawei, Samsung, Motorola, Honor, Oppo, Google, and Apple offering such terminals.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is Altán Redes’ new initiative? Altán Redes has been granted a concession to experiment with Direct to Cell technology, which enables mobile phones to connect directly to satellite coverage when traditional cellular networks are unavailable.
- Who is Altán Redes’ partner in this initiative? AST Spacemobile, a Texas-based company with Mexican investment through Carlos Slim’s involvement.
- Why is Altán focusing on Direct to Cell technology? To enhance their commercial offerings and those of retail operators, particularly in areas with limited cellular coverage.
- What challenges does Altán face in implementing Direct to Cell? Minimal technical challenges, as most of their traffic operates in a different frequency segment.
- How does AST Spacemobile’s satellite constellation support Altán’s initiative? AST Spacemobile’s low Earth orbit satellite constellation provides the necessary infrastructure for Altán’s Direct to Cell experiments.
- What is the significance of Altán’s initiative in the global context? Few operators worldwide currently offer Direct to Cell services, with SpaceX’s Starlink being a notable exception.
