China Telecom unveils industry-first Beidou voice messaging service
China Telecom has become the first telecom operator to publicly demonstrate and implement a Beidou satellite-based voice messaging service. The announcement was made at the 4th Beidou Scale Application International Summit held in September 2025, where Huawei and China Spacetime also showcased the technology. Huawei's WATCH Ultimate 2 smartwatch is the first device to support voice messaging via satellite in areas without mobile network coverage.
The service uses China Telecom's proprietary "voiceprint and semantic separation AI algorithm," which compresses a 20-character Chinese text message into a 6-second voice transmission. This eliminates the need for manual text input and enables rapid communication in remote or emergency scenarios.
China Telecom describes the Beidou voice messaging system as a major technical breakthrough that tightly integrates AI with satellite communication. The company plans to expand the service through a "Beidou + Tiantong" strategy, aiming to create a seamless communication experience between terrestrial and satellite networks-allowing users to "speak" anytime, anywhere.
China Telecom is one of China's largest state-owned telecommunications companies, offering mobile, broadband, and satellite services. It plays a key role in advancing national communication infrastructure and integrating emerging technologies like AI and satellite connectivity.
