Re: T-Mobile opens satellite communications to Android, iOS, AT&E & Verizon

In comp.mobile.android Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> wrote:

On 2025-02-09 20:05, Marion wrote:

T-Mobile opens satellite communications to Android, iOS, AT&E & Verizon
https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/t-mobile-opens-up-its-starlink-beta-
including-to-people-with-att-and-verizon/
 
"As part of the beta, people in the program will be able
 �to send SMS text messages when they're outdoors, even in �areas where
they don't normally get T-Mobile's terrestrial
 �coverage. The beta service will be free and open to all �T-Mobile
postpaid users until July, with the carrier also �making it available
for free during this time to AT&T
 �and Verizon customers."
 
The article discusses how Verizon advertises things it can't do, where it
doesn't mention that Apple is infamous for advertising what doesn't exist.

'Use Emergency SOS via satellite on your iPhone
With iPhone 14 or later (all models), you can use Emergency SOS via
satellite to text emergency services when you're off the grid with no
cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.'
 
<https://support.apple.com/en-ca/101573>
 
'About Messages via satellite on your iPhone
With iPhone 14 or later (all models), you can send iMessages or SMS
messages via satellite when you�re off the grid with no cellular and
Wi-Fi coverage.'
 
<https://support.apple.com/en-ca/120930>
 
And:
 
'Messages via satellite is available in the U.S. and Canada. It's free
for two years after the activation of an iPhone 14 or later (all models).'
 
Kind of seems that it exists to me.

 
That's a different thing.  The Apple feature has added extra hardware to the
phones to talk to existing satellites.  Starlink have added extra hardware
to the satellites to talk to existing phones.  The latter has much more
applicability as it doesn't involve any hardware changes to the phones, so
in theory would work with any phone (currently limited to phones approved by
T-Mobile for now, but includes both Android and iOS and goes back several
years of releases).
 
Theo