I'm very keen to see how this works in the countryside. I think it has more utility than Bitchat outside of cities, particularly when one includes static repeaters with good antennas.
Discussion
I ran nodes for both SIGFOX and TTN until 2016, during the 5 or so years of running them, I never saw a device or any other base station.
I might have been too early.
Meshtastic may be the answer.