Bell Canada has completed construction of its first direct-to-device satellite ground station in Quebec. The facility is the first of several ground stations designed to extend Bell’s existing terrestrial mobile network into remote regions, relying on AST SpaceMobile space-based mobile broadband network to provide the orbital connectivity.
Engineers are currently testing the Quebec site. Bell said it has validated text messaging, voice calls and broadband data connections. The technical team plans to test video streaming, Internet of Things applications and public alerts in the coming weeks.
The commercial rollout of this expanded coverage has been delayed from its original 2026 target to early 2027. Once active, the service will target industries operating beyond the reach of standard terrestrial towers, such as resource extraction, environmental monitoring, energy production and remote emergency response operations.
To support the revised 2027 launch, Bell continues to fund capital expenditures for additional ground stations. Construction is currently underway on sites in Ontario, Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Hardware deployment timelines remain a supply chain vulnerability for all operators. In April 2026, AST SpaceMobile lost its BlueBird 7 satellite after a Blue Origin launch vehicle experienced an upper stage malfunction. The satellite entered an incorrect orbit and was subsequently deorbited. While AST SpaceMobile expects to recover the financial cost through insurance, the payload loss adds strain to the schedule. The company must sustain a rigorous launch cadence to meet its target of roughly 45 operational satellites by the end of the year to support Bell’s planned network activation.
The Canadian direct-to-device market features intensifying competition as providers race to capture enterprise and government contracts for remote communications. Rogers Communications launched its own satellite-to-mobile text service last year using the SpaceX Starlink constellation. Telesat is also preparing its Lightspeed network to for corporate and defence contracts in the north.
“Delivering Canada’s best networks means finding new ways to connect customers beyond the reach of traditional wireless coverage,” said Mark McDonald, executive vice-president and chief technology officer at Bell. “The satellite ground infrastructure we’re building is designed to support a full suite of direct-to-device capabilities, including messaging, data connectivity, voice calling, and video streaming, helping extend connectivity to remote and underserved areas.”