I Tried T-Mobile's New Satellite Service for Texting in Dead Zones. Here's How It's Different

If you’ve got traveled to distant areas the place mobile protection does not attain, that anxious feeling when your communications slam to a halt. T-Mobile’s new $10 a month Starlink-based satellite tv for pc texting service, T-Satellite, which went dwell at the moment, takes a special method from different satellite tv for pc companies to offer cell entry even inside the half 1,000,000 sq. miles of wi-fi useless zones within the US.To try it out, I drove practically 3 hours from Seattle till my cellphone bars deserted me, giving me an opportunity to see if satellite tv for pc texting utilizing T-Satellite is as straightforward as on a regular basis mobile texting. Watch this: Hands-On with T-Mobile’s T-Satellite Service
01:55 How T-Satellite differs from different satellite tv for pc companiesSatellite texting is now a giant deal: the wi-fi suppliers and phone-makers together with Apple are betting satellite tv for pc connectivity is the reply for vacationers and individuals who dwell in distant areas (and even these impacted by emergencies such because the large flooding in Texas).It additionally is not new. Apple began providing SOS communication backed by Globalstar on the iPhone 14. And later, that allowed emergency texting once you’re exterior protection areas — a literal lifesaver for folks injured, misplaced or stranded in distant areas. The function additionally allowed you to share you location by way of satellite tv for pc within the Find My app. Apple then expanded the service to incorporate any texting utilizing the Messages app, in addition to calling for roadside help. CNET’s David Lumb used Messages by way of satellite tv for pc on his iPhone 15 Pro to textual content mates and share his ideas when he summited Mount Haleakalā’s peak in Hawaii.Google has an identical function in its Pixel 9 telephones, besides the Pixel 9A, which works with satellite tv for pc supplier Skylo. Samsung Galaxy telephones, just like the just lately launched Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, can use Verizon for satellite tv for pc texting and to contact emergency companies by way of Skylo, too.However, that communication includes a couple of steps to activate the function. You must be outdoor with a transparent view of the sky — no timber or buildings — and level your cellphone at a passing satellite tv for pc, retaining it regular to take care of the connection.With T-Satellite, the expertise is kind of totally different. Texting is nearly indistinguishable from once you’re inside mobile protection. On a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra with a T-Mobile plan, opening the Messages app confirmed the cellphone already related to satellite tv for pc, with a banner studying “You’re messaging by satellite.” A small satellite tv for pc icon seems within the menu bar with radiating curves to point the standing of the connection. The cellphone has robotically related to the T-Satellite community, as indicated by its (teeny) standing icon. Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNETThis is due partly to the truth that there at the moment are greater than 650 Starlink satellites overhead offering wider protection, but in addition as a result of they use a frequency band appropriate with most telephones offered within the final 4 years.You do not want a selected cellphone mannequin that has satellite tv for pc messaging {hardware}, such because the Motorola Razr Ultra.The expertise of organising T-Satellite on my iPhone 16 Pro was usually the identical. One distinctive factor about T-Satellite is that T-Mobile is providing the service to anybody, even when they use one other service for mobile service. In my case, I arrange the T-Satellite beta utilizing the second eSIM slot on my cellphone, and turned off the first service (AT&T) with a purpose to take a look at simply T-Mobile’s function. A strong black satellite tv for pc icon seems within the menu bar.I ought to notice that I carried out this testing a pair days earlier than T-Satellite went dwell, so it was technically in the course of the T-Satellite beta interval, and utilizing a beta model of the Messages app on Android.Plus, I did not try to make an emergency name, both, which on the T-Satellite service would imply dialing 911 within the cellphone app, versus initiating an SOS textual content communication utilizing Apple’s service.Texting, however generally slowerMostly, texting by way of satellite tv for pc is rather like texting by way of mobile. The knowledge pipe between the cellphone and a satellite tv for pc flying overhead at 17,000 miles per hour is small, so sometimes texts would take a number of seconds to undergo. But generally a dialog would occur with none prolonged lag. By comparability, when CNET’s Patrick Holland examined Apple’s Messages by way of satellite tv for pc function, he famous that “most sends were nearly instantaneous, others took 15 to 20 seconds with one taking over a minute.”One function going dwell at the moment for Android is the flexibility to ship pictures, movies and audio information utilizing Multimedia Messaging Service over the satellite tv for pc community. On the Galaxy S25 Ultra, I snapped a photograph of the lake and despatched it utilizing Messages as I usually would. The solely distinction over satellite tv for pc is that it took round two and a half minutes to ship. On Android, you’ll be able to ship pictures by way of MMS even over the satellite tv for pc connection. The function is coming later for iOS. Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNETHowever, MMS is at the moment solely supported on Android; iOS assist is coming later. Also arriving sooner or later — October, particularly — is the flexibility for apps to ship and obtain knowledge over the satellite tv for pc connection. T-Mobile has cited AllTrails for example of apps that’ll be appropriate with the service.This can be an important use of information for different mapping instruments. Although I used to be by no means misplaced on this journey –I pulled right into a well-marked scenic overlook to check with a surprising view — I additionally made some extent of downloading an offline map of the realm utilizing Apple Maps whereas I used to be nonetheless inside mobile vary. Lingering questions and challengesNot each message went by way of, and after my restricted testing, there are a couple of areas the place extra readability would assist.For instance, on Android, it wasn’t all the time apparent when I’d misplaced satellite tv for pc connection. In principle, with many Starlink satellites overhead, you should not have to fret about pointing at a selected patch of sky to take care of a connection. But at one level after sending a message, some textual content beneath it mentioned the app was ready to attach. Only then did I discover the tiny satellite tv for pc icon was exhibiting skinny grey bars as an alternative of skinny black bars.Compare that to Apple’s implementation, which makes use of Dynamic Island to point out an impossible-to-miss inexperienced standing button to point a strong connection to a satellite tv for pc. Or Google’s Satellite SOS service, with its full-screen visible prompts that assist you to keep related to a satellite tv for pc or connect with a brand new one if wanted. The outstanding inexperienced icon within the Dynamic Island signifies a satellite tv for pc connection when utilizing Apple’s satellite tv for pc texting function. (The pink icon exhibits that the display screen is being recorded and is not associated to the connection.) Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNETI additionally bumped into some confusion with my iPhone 16 Pro operating T-Satellite as a secondary eSIM. When making an attempt to textual content a pal who got here together with me and was utilizing Apple’s methodology on his iPhone, I obtained a message that he was related by way of satellite tv for pc and was given the choice to faucet Send by way of Satellite. What I did not understand on the time was that the connection dropped as I used to be typing the textual content. On additional analysis, I found that an energetic third-party satellite tv for pc connection exhibits “SAT” within the menu bar. When SAT is changed by a black satellite tv for pc icon, it means T-Satellite is not related, however that Apple’s satellite tv for pc possibility is on the market; I believed it meant that I used to be nonetheless related. At one level, I used to be unable to textual content my pal who was additionally utilizing satellite tv for pc entry, despite the fact that it gave the impression to be related (see the satellite tv for pc icon within the menu bar). (The pink button within the Dynamic Island exhibits that the display screen is being recorded.) Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNETLook up, and aheadWill satellite tv for pc companies cowl the remaining useless zones and permit straightforward communication even in distant areas? Based on my expertise, the potential is certainly there. It’s been lower than two years since Apple first launched Emergency SOS by way of satellite tv for pc on the iPhone and it is spectacular how satellite tv for pc connectivity has expanded so shortly with the flexibility to assist texting. I admire that the T-Satellite implementation is much like the way in which tens of millions of individuals talk day by day by way of textual content. Removing friction is essential to adopting applied sciences like this.As corporations construct up the capability and efficiency of satellite tv for pc companies, it is simple to see a close to future the place you do not have to consider the way you’re getting knowledge, simply as we at the moment do not ever take into consideration which mobile tower is relaying our knowledge.As somebody who lives in cellular-saturated Seattle, I most likely will not must depend on satellite tv for pc knowledge. But the North Cascades is the place I’ve gone tenting for years, so I can see it being sometimes helpful, particularly if there’s ever an emergency state of affairs.As I used to be juggling my telephones and pestering my family and friends with texts, a pair approached to ask what I used to be doing. They had been visiting the realm from a small city in northern Idaho close to the Canadian border, the place mobile protection is a rarity. After speaking for a couple of minutes, I spotted that having the ability to join wirelessly by way of satellite tv for pc could possibly be an actual boon for them, particularly in emergencies, but in addition on a regular basis annoyances when different types of communication aren’t accessible, like throughout energy outages.