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T-Mobile Opens Free Satellite Text-to-911 to All Compatible Phones

The offering uses Starlink satellites to link compatible smartphones when terrestrial coverage drops.

Overview

  • Beginning today, any wireless user with a compatible device can enroll at no cost to text 911 via satellite in roughly 500,000 square miles of the U.S. that lack traditional cell coverage.
  • The feature uses the phone’s native messaging app, so users type 911 as the recipient and send a text like normal.
  • Connections automatically hand off to an array of 650+ Starlink satellites when a cellular signal is unavailable in outdoor areas with a clear view of the sky.
  • Broader T-Satellite capabilities such as messaging, data and location are included in select T-Mobile plans or available as a $10 per month add-on for customers and noncustomers with compatible devices.
  • T-Mobile cautions that satellite messages may be delayed, limited or unavailable, and the service defers to device-native emergency messaging on select iPhone and latest Google Pixel models.