The BeiDou Satellite Positioning and Navigation System (hereinafter referred to as the “BeiDou System”) is China’s independently developed positioning and navigation system. Since the BeiDou System began providing services to the Asia-Pacific region in 2012, the civilian BeiDou industry has developed rapidly, with BeiDou industrial parks springing up everywhere. The BeiDou System has been widely applied in border defense, transportation, fisheries, meteorology, electricity, communications, disaster relief, forest fire prevention, smart cities, and other industry sectors. As the BeiDou System continues to make headlines in the news and consumer products such as “BeiDou Positioning and Navigation” and “BeiDou Timing Watches” have been launched, the Chinese public’s understanding of the BeiDou System has gradually deepened. However, according to relevant surveys, the majority of the public only understand the BeiDou System at the level of “positioning and navigation” and “timing,” with very little knowledge about “BeiDou Short Message Service.”
Personal Use of BeiDou Short Messages Faces Challenges
“The BeiDou System has a Short Message communication function that GPS lacks,” and “The BeiDou System can not only solve the problem of ‘where am I’ but also ‘where are you,’” are the most common descriptions of BeiDou Short Messages heard among the public. The following image is also repeatedly used by various media when introducing BeiDou Short Messages.
BeiDou Short Messages Played a Key Communication Role in the Wenchuan Earthquake Relief Efforts
Since the national opening of the civilian market for the BeiDou System, BeiDou Short Message communication has been widely applied across various industries, but its use among individuals has been limited. The main reasons for this outcome include the following:
(1) High Cost. BeiDou Short Message communication products often cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yuan, and users must also pay annual service fees ranging from several hundred to over a thousand yuan. At these price points, most ordinary consumers find them unaffordable or may opt for better alternatives.
(2) Bulky Size and Inconvenient Portability, with Dull Designs. Compared to current mainstream communication tools, previous BeiDou Short Message communication devices were relatively large and heavy, making them inconvenient to carry and use in environments such as mountains and deserts. Additionally, their designs did not align with personal fashion aesthetics, resulting in low acceptance among the general consumer population.
(3) Relatively Small Market Demand for Personal Emergency Communication. With the advancement of modern communication networks, urban, rural, and most suburban areas—where populations are dense—already have communication network coverage. Only individuals working or traveling in areas such as at sea, in the wilderness, or deserts—such as sailors and outdoor enthusiasts—have a need for emergency communication.
Breakthroughs in BeiDou Communication Devices
In recent years, the state’s support for civilian BeiDou applications has remained strong. Coupled with years of technological accumulation and development by BeiDou terminal manufacturers, significant breakthroughs have now been made in chip, module, and terminal integration technologies. BeiDou Short Message communication devices now meet the size, weight, and price expectations of the general consumer. Moreover, their designs have moved away from the traditional industrial style, gradually becoming more fashionable and aesthetically pleasing.
Several Portable BeiDou Communication Devices
Beidou SeaChat at the Forefront of Internet Plus
Today, everyone is talking about “Internet Plus.” Actually, this isn’t a new concept. For example, traditional markets + internet gave us Taobao, traditional banks + internet gave us Alipay, traditional matchmakers + internet gave us Jiayuan.com, and traditional transportation + internet gave us Didi and Kuaidi. So, what will the combination of the internet and BeiDou bring?
According to insiders in the BeiDou industry, Beidou SeaChat is a mobile application that combines “Internet Plus” with BeiDou Short Message Service. It first debuted at the Sixth China Satellite Navigation Conference and quickly garnered intense interest from professionals in the BeiDou industry. Unlike other similar satellite communication products, individual users who purchase a SeaChat terminal can enjoy free satellite communication, which undoubtedly saves them significant communication costs. The longer they use it, the lower the monthly expense. As a result, Beidou SeaChat quickly gained favor among sailors and is now beginning to attract outdoor enthusiasts.
According to information on the Beidou SeaChat official website and its WeChat public account, after installing the SeaChat app on their mobile phones, users can connect to a BeiDou communication terminal (compatible with multiple commercially available BeiDou terminals—these terminals must be authorized by SeaChat Technology to connect with the SeaChat app) via Bluetooth. This allows them to send free satellite text messages to family and friends on land through the SeaChat app. Recipients can directly reply to the SMS messages or follow the WeChat public account “SeaChat” and access the “SeaChat Mailbox” to send and receive satellite text messages.
“Internet Plus BeiDou”—Beidou SeaChat
As BeiDou Chief Designer Sun Jiadong said, the application of BeiDou is only limited by imagination. Beidou SeaChat is an innovative application born from the fusion of the internet and BeiDou. So, what new applications will emerge under the future “BeiDou Plus” model, and what kind of social and economic benefits will they bring? Let’s wait and see.