On July 30, China’s Satellite Navigation System Management Office announced that China North Industries Group Corporation, China Mobile Communications Group, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, and domestic mobile phone manufacturers jointly completed the development of China’s first integrated Beidou short message communication RF baseband chip (referred to as the “short message chip”). This breakthrough enables satellite communication capabilities in consumer smartphones.

The short message chip can be integrated into smartphones, helping to promote the short message functionality in the mass consumer market. The first batch of smartphones supporting Beidou short message communication is expected to be launched by 2022. Beidou, as one of the four major global satellite navigation systems, is the only system that currently offers short message communication functionality.

The short message chip has overcome several key technological challenges and achieves a “single SIM, dual-network” design for mass-market smartphones, allowing for satellite communication capabilities without the need for a new card, number, or additional hardware. This breakthrough effectively solves the issue of “being out of service area” by enabling satellite communication on regular smartphones.

Yang Changfeng, Chief Designer of the Beidou Satellite Navigation System and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said at the press conference for the Beidou III short message communication service: “We have successfully broken through a series of major key technologies and completed the Beidou III short message communication service platform. This is the world’s first integration of short message communication services into mass-market smartphones, marking another major achievement in Beidou’s innovation and development.”