Overview
- BSNL announced the handset on Thursday, July 9, pricing it at Rs 1,34,166 inclusive of taxes and positioning it for defence, maritime, disaster response, mining and remote operations.
- The phone provides voice calls and SMS via satellites and includes a rugged build, long battery life and an SOS distress feature for use where terrestrial networks fail.
- BSNL says the service is delivered in partnership with Inmarsat and reporting states satellite traffic is routed through a domestic gateway in Ghaziabad to enable government monitoring and address security concerns.
- Use and possession require prior Department of Telecommunications authorisation such as a licence or NOC, and BSNL will complete KYC and customer‑use checks before activation.
- BSNL has published prepaid and postpaid tariff options and per‑minute rates for government and commercial users, and the company notes demand is expected from institutional and authorised individual customers rather than general consumers.