How to send messages via satellite on your iPhone or Pixel
(Oct 8, 2024)

From the article:

"Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite (on the iPhone 14, 15, and 16) and Google’s Satellite SOS (on Pixel 9 phones) can connect you with emergency services when you don’t have cell service or Wi-Fi. These services don’t require any setup — just dial 911 from a supported phone to reach emergency services over text message using satellite communication.

A new Messages via satellite feature on newer iPhones launched this month with iOS 18. (There is no equivalent feature for Google Pixel.) This is not designed for emergencies like the SOS service, but it can connect you with friends and family when needed. It’s currently available on iPhone 14 models and newer running iOS 18. People affected by Hurricane Helene have posted on social media to share how this service helped them get the word out that they were okay following the disaster."

That was the very last moment that I considered buying a separate satellite phone. Thanks!

Yeah, and LTE over satellite should be available within a year, I believe.

Which should mean almost all existing 4G capable phones will be able to call via satellite, as long as using a telecom provider that supports it.

More interesting with UHF/VHF and 4G LTE capable radios. Like this Wouxon KG-V98

https://www.wouxun.com/radios/two_way_radio_kg-v98.aspx

It can act as a cross band repeater, so can link two groups of UHF/VHF radios over satellite in theory.

Will be interesting for someone try it in practice, once it's all up and running.

SpaceX's Starlink Direct to Cell (DTC) system connected more than 27,000 phones located in hurricane-ravaged parts of the US.

From SpaceX's Canada's ISED reply comments.

"The positive impact to affected communities was immediate. In just one day, over 27,000 mobile devices connected to Direct to Cell satellites. In the coming days, over 250,000 texts were sent through Direct to Cell—connecting loved ones, family members, and disaster relief services. Direct to Cell is still delivering thousands of messages while damaged terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure is restored. The swiftness with which the U.S. FCC acted to enable this service was instrumental to its success."

Think there is a 4/5 more launches for the complete satellite constellation.

T-Mobile starting registrations for Starlink Beta

http://t-mobile.com/satellite

I used satellite texting from my iPhone 15 during Milton to let loved ones know we were OK. We lost landline internet for four days and cellular for about 12 hours. I know people who lost all infrastructure-dependent comms for days after Helene. Nice feature to have, but I'll be interested to see what costs are associated once the honeymoon period for this stuff runs out.

I imagine Elon Musk is getting his money’s worth out of Space-X’s constellation.
Does T-Mobile have an exclusive on Sat-text capability using the Space-X constellation? If so I may need to move to T-Mobile from Verizon.
Would surprise me though if Verizon isn’t in talks with Space-X now. Why would Musk give T-Mobile an exclusive?

Believe Verizon teamed with Skylo. But no idea where they are at in providing the services to their customers.

Yeah, details will be interesting.

Still not clear if emergency calls will be routed, believe it's a requirement of land based infrastructure even with phones without a simcard.