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In two weeks, you might be able to send a text message — or even a photo, video, or voice recording — from deep within a national park or mountain pass. That's the future T-Mobile is imagining, thanks to its collaboration with SpaceX's Starlink.satellite serviceis set to launch on July 23. The partnership will offer a direct-to-cellphone messaging service known as T-Satellite, which will also be accessible to AT&T and Verizon.cellphone customers.
T-Mobile saysIts objective is to "end mobile dead zones permanently" through 657 Starlink satellites dedicated solely to cellular service. T-Satellite has been in beta testing since December 2024, with almost 1.8 million users registering so far.
The instant messaging service directly to mobile devices marks a significant advancement in wireless technology, as stated by T-Mobile. It is compatible with most phones produced in the past four years, eliminating the need for special equipment. This service will be offered to T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon users at a cost of $10 per month—or it will be free for those on T-Mobile's Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plans.
"At the end of the day, it's pleasant to take a selfie while in an area without signal, but it's essential to have the ability to reach emergency services," Mike Katz, T-Mobile's president of marketing, strategy, and products, said.told Jeff Carlson from Tech Bytes LabWe simply believe that with a technology such as this, no customer should ever find themselves without connection during an emergency.
Nevertheless, you could still gain advantages even without registering, since T-Mobile will offer the service at no cost for emergency purposes. The company mentioned that 911 texting will be available this year to "any mobile user with a compatible device, irrespective of their carrier or whether they are enrolled in the service."
What is T-Satellite?
T-Satellite is a collaboration betweenT-Mobile and Starlinkthis will provide direct-to-cell SMS messaging availability in regions without cellular service. Starlink hasover 7,000 satellites in low-Earth orbitin the sky, and now, 657 of them will be exclusively focused on T-Satellite. T-Mobile states the objective is to extend coverage to the 500,000 square miles of the US that conventional cell towers cannot reach.
"When you exit the terrestrial network and move to an area without coverage, your phone will automatically look for and connect to the satellite network, which is significantly different from other satellite systems that require you to manually connect and hold your phone toward the sky," explains Katz.
Satellite communication in mobile phones isn't entirely new -- iPhones have had this featuresince 2022-- but it has usually been used for SOS messages to reach an emergency operator. On July 23, T-Satellite users will be able to send SMS texts oniPhoneand Android. Android users will also receive MMS right away, with iPhone support "to come."
This indicates that users will have the ability to transmit images and audio files along with regular text messages. In October, the service will be extended to support data functionality in third-party applications such as AccuWeather, AllTrails, WhatsApp, and X. The feature utilizes built-in capabilities within iOS and Android systems, allowing developers to enable their apps to send data through the limited bandwidth provided by satellite connections.
This is significantly more advanced than what other phone carriers have introduced in the satellite area so far — mainly because of T-Mobile's collaboration with Starlink. AT&T and Verizon have both teamed up with AST SpaceMobile for satellite messaging, andVerizon informed Tech Bytes Lab's Eli Blumenthallast year that it continues to intend to collaborate with Amazon's Project Kuiper, whichdeployed its initial 27 satellites on April 28, 2025
"Even though our rivals have made certain statements, they are significantly behind in this technology," says Katz.
What is the price of T-Satellite?
On July 23, T-Satellite will be offered to AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon users as a separate $10 monthly charge. However, there is an exception: subscribers on T-Mobile's Experience Beyond plan (priced at $100 per month for one line) or the Go5G Next plan will have the service included in their plan cost moving forward, while those on the Experience More plan (costing $85 per month) will continue to receive it until the end of the year.
Even if you don't pay the $10 monthly fee, T-Mobile states that 911 text messaging will be available this year "to any mobile user with a compatible device, no matter the carrier."
If you are a Verizon or AT&T user, you need to activate T-Satellite as a secondary eSIM on your phone to use the service. You can locateinstructions for configuring the eSIM here.
Which phones are supported?
Many phones launched in the last few years are compatible with T-Satellite. Below is a list of devices that are currently supported by the beta version:
Apple
- iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 (all versions)
- Google Pixel 9
- Google Pixel 9A
- Google Pixel 9 Pro
- Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
- Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Motorola
- Moto G Stylus 2025
- Moto Razr 2024
- Moto Razr Plus 2024
- Moto Razr 2025
- Moto Razr Plus 2025
- Moto Razr Ultra 2025
- Moto Razr Ultra Plus 2025
Samsung
- Samsung Galaxy A25 5G SE*
- Samsung Galaxy A35 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A36
- Samsung Galaxy A36 SE
- Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A54 5G*
- Samsung Galaxy S21
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
- Samsung Galaxy S22
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S22 FE
- Samsung Galaxy S23
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
- Samsung Galaxy S24
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S24 FE
- Samsung Galaxy S25
- Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
- Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
*Certain non-T-Mobile device models lack satellite functionality.
On July 23, when T-Satellite is launched, the following devices will also be compatible:
Motorola
- Motorola Edge 2024
- Moto G 2024
- Moto G Stylus 2024
- Moto G 5G 2024
- Moto G Stylus 5G 2024
Samsung
- Samsung Galaxy A14
- Samsung Galaxy A15*
- Samsung Galaxy A16
- Samsung Galaxy A35
- Samsung Galaxy A53*
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
*Certain non-T-Mobile device models do not support satellite functionality.
T-Mobile
- T-Mobile Revvl 7
- T-Mobile Revvl 7 Pro
How to test T-Mobile's Starlink service right now
If you're eager to test T-Mobile's Starlink satellite messaging service and don't wish to wait until July 23, you may still try it.register for the beta. I wouldn't get too excited, though — when I submitted my details, I received a response stating, "Due to high demand, we are admitting beta testers on a rolling basis. Keep an eye out for an update in the coming weeks."
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