Motorola Defy Satellite Link dongle brings SMS via satellite to smartphones

At Mobile World Congress we see the latest innovations in mobile and this morning Motorola announced the Defy Satellite Link dongle, designed to let you send SMS via satellite from your smartphone. 

The device has been made in partnership with Bullitt Group, the same company behind the line of CAT branded phones which include built-in SMS via Satellite connectivity we saw announced at CES earlier this year.

The Motorola Defy Satellite Link dongle connects via Bluetooth to any iOS or Android smartphone and lets you send SMS using the Bullitt Satellite Messenger app to any phone, which will receive it as a normal SMS – although to respond they’ll need to download the app. The cost is deducted from the satellite SMS plan you’ll need, with no cost to the recipient. 

The dongle also includes a physical SOS and location ‘Check In’ button which can be used even without a phone connected. It’s tough as well with Bullit Group announcing it’s been tested for  Mil-Spec 810H standards and is waterproof and dustproof with an IP68 rating.

The idea of using satellites for communication has been building steam of late, with first Qualcomm announcing chipsets, and at MWC this week Mediatek has followed suit. But we don’t all want to buy a new phone just for satellite connectivity, so this device bridges that gap.

The Motorola Defy Satellite Link will be available internationally from April, though only US, UK and European pricing has been announced at this stage. The device itself will cost $99 USD / €119 / £99 or with an Essentials Messaging service plan which incudes up to 30 two-way messages per month and SOS Assist starting at $149 USD / €169/ £149.

If you want to sign up for notifications when more info is announced you can head to motorolarugged.com.