Whether your travels take you deep into the wilderness or just to the part of your city that doesn't have cell service, you can stay connected by using your iPhone to text from orbit. - WIRED Magazine
Apple recently added texting by satellite with iOS 18 for iPhone 14 models and newer.
Travel is stressful enough for most of us, but not being able to text while you’re on the road (or in the back country) is a true nightmare. On an Apple iPhone, you see the dreaded words “not delivered” with an exclamation mark in a red circle whenever a message can’t get through. Especially if you’re in an unfamiliar area and need to contact somebody right away.
Fortunately, Apple recently added texting by satellite with iOS 18 for iPhone 14 models and newer. This expansion of the iPhone’s satellite connectivity—Apple previously only provided emergency satellite SOS service—brings regular text messaging service to areas with no cell coverage; it’s like sending in the cavalry if you’re in a remote location.
Fortunately, the steps to connect to a satellite for texting are straightforward. Here’s how to make sure you can still send a message to anyone from anywhere in the US or Canada.
Prepare for Your TripThe first step before you ever head out on any trip is to check a cellular service coverage map. You can contact your wireless carrier to ask about coverage areas, but a great resource is this Federal Communications Commission map. You can select your carrier and see both voice and data coverage.
I planned a trip to a state park in my area where I noticed most of the cabins and an entire ravine by a river were not covered by either voice or data service. Knowing whether you can connect will help you avoid surprises. If you are traveling with a few people, not being able to text anyone can lead to some serious confusion.
The FCC coverage map shows exactly where cell coverage might not work, and it is surprisingly detailed. You can zoom into specific city blocks or roads in a park to see if they are covered. (Also, if your phone is struggling to find a signal, its battery will drain more quickly. So if you’re going to a remote area, bring a battery pack.)
How to Connect to a Satellite to Send Messages
Once you arrive at your destination, you will notice the cell service will deteriorate as you enter a remote area. For me, when I visited the state park, I first noticed my AT&T service said 5G+ in the upper right corner, then 5G, then eventually it said LTE. It feels like you are going back in time, technologically. Down by the river, the LTE icon went completely blank and then showed a satellite icon. That was my first clue that I had an alternative way of texting.
I went to the Messages app and a prompt appeared at the top of the screen—“Stay in touch while letting others know you’re available by satellite”—followed by a button that said “Use Messages via Satellite.” Click that button, and you’ll see a screen that shows the curvature of the planet and a message that says “Satellite Available Soon.” It feels a bit like a treasure hunt at this point. You’ll see a prompt to turn left or right toward the satellite. Click on the satellite that appears and stay still, standing in the same direction for about a minute. Eventually, the screen will light up with a green beacon. You are now connected! You’ll see options to connect by Messages, use the Find My app, request roadside assistance, or send an SOS.
Click Messages and send a text. Note that these texts do not transmit nearly as fast as they do over a wireless carrier signal. A friend who joined me on the trip didn’t receive a text for about two minutes, even though both of us were connected via satellite. Oddly, another companion who had an iPhone 14 didn’t even need to text by satellite; her phone stayed connected to the carrier. Yet, after repeated tests, my iPhone 16 Pro Max needed to connect by satellite in the same area. All of my texts took about a minute or two to send; receiving texts also took a bit longer.
Things to RememberThe good news is that sending texts over satellite is entirely free for two years after your phone is activated. (Apple could start charging for this feature in 2025, or include it in one of its service bundles.) Just be ready to explore a little to find a satellite to connect to. In both of my trips to the park and the downtown area, I had to walk around for a good 10 or 15 minutes until the cellular service stopped working. Once I connected to the satellite, I had to stay in one place or the connection could switch over to AT&T. And, if you are anywhere near a Wi-Fi signal, your iPhone will attempt to connect to that signal instead.
Also, the feature is only intended to send texts. You can send emoji and tapbacks in Messages, but you can’t transmit images, audio clips, or video files. You'll have to wait until you connect to a data signal to send the bigger stuff.
To read the entire article in Wired Magazine, CLICK HERE.
Apple recently added texting by satellite with iOS 18 for iPhone 14 models and newer.
Travel is stressful enough for most of us, but not being able to text while you’re on the road (or in the back country) is a true nightmare. On an Apple iPhone, you see the dreaded words “not delivered” with an exclamation mark in a red circle whenever a message can’t get through. Especially if you’re in an unfamiliar area and need to contact somebody right away.
Fortunately, Apple recently added texting by satellite with iOS 18 for iPhone 14 models and newer. This expansion of the iPhone’s satellite connectivity—Apple previously only provided emergency satellite SOS service—brings regular text messaging service to areas with no cell coverage; it’s like sending in the cavalry if you’re in a remote location.
Fortunately, the steps to connect to a satellite for texting are straightforward. Here’s how to make sure you can still send a message to anyone from anywhere in the US or Canada.
Prepare for Your TripThe first step before you ever head out on any trip is to check a cellular service coverage map. You can contact your wireless carrier to ask about coverage areas, but a great resource is this Federal Communications Commission map. You can select your carrier and see both voice and data coverage.
I planned a trip to a state park in my area where I noticed most of the cabins and an entire ravine by a river were not covered by either voice or data service. Knowing whether you can connect will help you avoid surprises. If you are traveling with a few people, not being able to text anyone can lead to some serious confusion.
The FCC coverage map shows exactly where cell coverage might not work, and it is surprisingly detailed. You can zoom into specific city blocks or roads in a park to see if they are covered. (Also, if your phone is struggling to find a signal, its battery will drain more quickly. So if you’re going to a remote area, bring a battery pack.)
How to Connect to a Satellite to Send Messages
Once you arrive at your destination, you will notice the cell service will deteriorate as you enter a remote area. For me, when I visited the state park, I first noticed my AT&T service said 5G+ in the upper right corner, then 5G, then eventually it said LTE. It feels like you are going back in time, technologically. Down by the river, the LTE icon went completely blank and then showed a satellite icon. That was my first clue that I had an alternative way of texting.
I went to the Messages app and a prompt appeared at the top of the screen—“Stay in touch while letting others know you’re available by satellite”—followed by a button that said “Use Messages via Satellite.” Click that button, and you’ll see a screen that shows the curvature of the planet and a message that says “Satellite Available Soon.” It feels a bit like a treasure hunt at this point. You’ll see a prompt to turn left or right toward the satellite. Click on the satellite that appears and stay still, standing in the same direction for about a minute. Eventually, the screen will light up with a green beacon. You are now connected! You’ll see options to connect by Messages, use the Find My app, request roadside assistance, or send an SOS.
Click Messages and send a text. Note that these texts do not transmit nearly as fast as they do over a wireless carrier signal. A friend who joined me on the trip didn’t receive a text for about two minutes, even though both of us were connected via satellite. Oddly, another companion who had an iPhone 14 didn’t even need to text by satellite; her phone stayed connected to the carrier. Yet, after repeated tests, my iPhone 16 Pro Max needed to connect by satellite in the same area. All of my texts took about a minute or two to send; receiving texts also took a bit longer.
Things to RememberThe good news is that sending texts over satellite is entirely free for two years after your phone is activated. (Apple could start charging for this feature in 2025, or include it in one of its service bundles.) Just be ready to explore a little to find a satellite to connect to. In both of my trips to the park and the downtown area, I had to walk around for a good 10 or 15 minutes until the cellular service stopped working. Once I connected to the satellite, I had to stay in one place or the connection could switch over to AT&T. And, if you are anywhere near a Wi-Fi signal, your iPhone will attempt to connect to that signal instead.
Also, the feature is only intended to send texts. You can send emoji and tapbacks in Messages, but you can’t transmit images, audio clips, or video files. You'll have to wait until you connect to a data signal to send the bigger stuff.
To read the entire article in Wired Magazine, CLICK HERE.
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