State-run telecom operator BSNL has launched a satellite phone in India priced at 1,34,166 rupees including taxes, aimed at users who need connectivity outside normal cellular coverage. The device connects directly to satellites to make voice calls, bypassing mobile towers altogether, and runs on the Inmarsat satellite network, which BSNL says makes it suitable for mission-critical communication in areas with no terrestrial signal.

The phone carries a rugged build with SOS support and a large battery designed to run for days on a single charge. Unlike a regular smartphone, it cannot be bought at a retail store or ordered online. BSNL says the device is meant for users working far outside normal mobile coverage, not everyday consumers.

BSNL says the phone is intended primarily for defense personnel, maritime operators, disaster response teams, mining companies, remote area workers and adventure travelers. Buyers must first contact BSNL directly and obtain permission from India’s Department of Telecommunications before they can purchase or activate the device, a step meant to keep satellite communication hardware out of general circulation and under regulatory oversight.

Beyond the upfront device cost, users must also subscribe to BSNL’s Global Satellite Phone Service, which carries an additional monthly charge on top of the hardware price. The pricing, at roughly 1,400 US dollars for the device alone before the monthly service fee, places it well above a typical smartphone, reflecting the specialized hardware and satellite airtime costs behind direct-to-satellite calling.

The launch extends BSNL’s broader push into satellite-based connectivity. The state carrier earlier rolled out a direct-to-device service that lets ordinary smartphones send SMS messages via satellite in areas without tower coverage, part of a wider effort to extend network reach into India’s most remote regions, from high-altitude border posts to open water far from the coast. BSNL is state-run and competes with larger private carriers that dominate India’s regular mobile market, and satellite connectivity has become an area where the government-owned operator has continued to expand its offerings this year.