Is T-Mobile’s new T-Satellite service price $10 a month to have the ability to textual content from virtually wherever exterior mobile protection areas? The Starlink-based satellite tv for pc service generally is a comfort for those who’re tenting or mountain climbing distant areas, but additionally a communications lifeline for individuals who haven’t got common mobile entry or want emergency support.To check it out, although, I needed to discover a mobile useless zone. T-Mobile estimates there are 500,000 sq. miles within the US with no cell protection, so I left my residence in Seattle to search out one. After three hours of driving to the wooded North Cascades, I received my likelihood to see if satellite tv for pc texting is as straightforward as on a regular basis mobile texting, and the way T-Satellite differs from different satellite tv for pc companies. 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 stay in distant areas (and even these impacted by emergencies such because the huge 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 individuals injured, misplaced or stranded in distant areas. The function additionally allowed you to share your location through 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 through 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 lately launched Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, can use Verizon for satellite tv for pc texting and to contact emergency companies via Skylo, too.However, that communication entails a couple of steps to activate the function. You must be outside with a transparent view of the sky — no timber or buildings — and level your telephone at a passing satellite tv for pc, preserving it regular to keep up the connection.With T-Satellite, the expertise is sort 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 telephone 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 telephone has routinely 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 are actually greater than 650 Starlink satellites overhead offering wider protection, but additionally as a result of they use a frequency band suitable with most telephones offered within the final 4 years. You do not want a selected telephone mannequin that has satellite tv for pc messaging {hardware}, such because the Motorola Razr Ultra.The expertise of utilizing 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 had earlier arrange the T-Satellite beta utilizing the second eSIM slot on my telephone, and turned off the first service (AT&T) with a purpose to take a look at simply T-Mobile’s function.I ought to notice that I carried out this testing a pair days earlier than T-Satellite went stay, so it was technically throughout the T-Satellite beta interval, and utilizing a beta model of the Messages app on Android.Plus, I did not try and make an emergency name, both, which on the T-Satellite service would imply dialing 911 within the telephone app, versus initiating an SOS textual content communication utilizing Apple’s service.Texting, however generally slowerMostly, texting through satellite tv for pc is rather like texting through mobile. The information pipe between the telephone and a satellite tv for pc flying overhead at 17,000 miles per hour is small, so often 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 through 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 on Android is the flexibility to ship photos, movies and audio recordsdata 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 possibly can ship pictures through MMS even over the satellite tv for pc connection. The function is coming later for iOS. Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNETHowever, MMS is at present 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 information over the satellite tv for pc connection. T-Mobile has cited AllTrails and WhatsApp as examples of apps that’ll be suitable with the service.This could be a fantastic use of knowledge 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 a degree of downloading an offline map of the world utilizing Apple Maps whereas I used to be nonetheless inside mobile vary. Lingering questions and challengesNot each message went via, 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 the 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 keep up a connection. But at one level after sending a message, some textual content under 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 indicate an impossible-to-miss inexperienced standing button to point a stable connection to a satellite tv for pc. Or Google’s Satellite SOS service, with its full-screen visible prompts that assist you keep related to a satellite tv for pc or hook up with a brand new one if wanted. The distinguished inexperienced icon within the Dynamic Island signifies a satellite tv for pc connection when utilizing Apple’s satellite tv for pc texting function. (The purple 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 technique on his iPhone, I received a message that he was related through satellite tv for pc and was given the choice to faucet Send through 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 lively third-party satellite tv for pc connection in iOS exhibits “SAT” within the menu bar. When SAT is changed by a black satellite tv for pc icon, it means T-Satellite is now not related, however that Apple’s satellite tv for pc choice is out there; I assumed 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, though to me it seemed to be related (see the satellite tv for pc icon within the menu bar). (The purple 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 through 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 hundreds of thousands of individuals talk each day through textual content. Removing friction is essential to adopting applied sciences like this.As firms construct up the capability and efficiency of satellite tv for pc companies, it is easy to see a close to future the place you do not have to consider the way you’re getting information, simply as we at present do not ever take into consideration which mobile tower is relaying our information.As somebody who lives in cellular-saturated Seattle, I in all probability will not have to depend on satellite tv for pc information. But the North Cascades is the place I’ve gone tenting for years, so I can see it being often 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 have been visiting the world 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 with the ability to join wirelessly through satellite tv for pc may very well be an actual boon for them, particularly in emergencies, but additionally on a regular basis annoyances when different types of communication aren’t out there, like throughout energy outages.
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