While IPhones For years have been able to send emergency messages through satellites, consumer Android phones trailing behind, with just a few, such as recent Google Pixel 9 Seriesoffering similar services. Now, Verizon provides its subscribers who own Samsung's Galaxy S25 Series Also on phones connected to satellites. I saw a demonstration of that in action.
2025 is shaped to be a year when ties to satellite-telephone can be dramatically expanded. Some phone makers have tried to provide connection to selected models, and carriers have tried to offer service to most of their subscribers with partnership with satellite companies. While T-Mobile is beta testing your own system with SpaceX's Starlink NetworkVerizon has shown how his subscribers will be able to use the Galaxy S25 phones to send messages through satellites.
First verizon announced his partnership with Skilo Provide its subscribers to mobile phones with satellite connection last August. During a recent video call, people from Verizon's satellite partner, Skilo showed how this will work for normal messages. They used Samsung reference device (phone only for internal use), which operates Exynos 5400 modem, which is also used in Google Pixel 9. It was set not to connect to a mobile network, which simulates how the satellite connection will work.
They asked for my personal cell phone number, sent an SMS – I received it – I took it for about 8 seconds, another time taking 27 seconds. I wrote an answer, which lasted 17 seconds to reach their device. While the reference device was set up to contact their test server, rather than a real emergency response, Skilo demonstrated SMS routing through satellites.
Skylo's service can also be linked to emergency respondents, similar to how iPhone owners used Emergency sauce For years. In the demo, I saw the user pass through a questionnaire considering the details and seriousness of their emergency, to which everyone will be addressed by a live person and will be sent to emergency services in their area.
“What we are trying to show here is the experience of the level of production, which we worked really hard to make it flawlessly,” said Pit Saladino, a global head of skeleton. “And again, we use existing satellites already in heaven.”
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Apple has teamed up with and made great financial investment in Glabalstar to use its satellite satellite to support its iPhone 14, iPhone 15, iPhone 16 And iPhone 16e Owners with satellite connection. Skylo, on the other hand, has no satellites – instead of a partner with half a dozen providers, including viathas, echoast and Inmasat to use their satellites. Works as a kind of signal manager to secure, in this case, the owners of the Samsung Galaxy S25 with the Verizon service are covered by satellite networks that already work in orbit.
The Skylo Operational Satellite Network is an advantage for Verizon in the satellite carrier race, although it only supports the Galaxy S25 phones. Pixel 9 phones have a satellite connection Through a special agreement with Skylo. T-Mobile's partnership with SpaceX launched a new phase last month when it is Launches beta to connect subscribers to Starlink satellites (accidentally available to Verizon and AT&T users). Along with Verizon, AT&T still plans to connect its customers to the Spacemobile satellite network, which only Received approval from the US Federal Committee of Communications To start testing this arrangement.
The advantage of Skylo is the use of already distributed satellite networks, which currently cover a combined 50 million square kilometers of territory (about five times more than US land). While semi -waisted skillets have satellites and capabilities of varying size, the company aims to provide uniform experience and access, no matter where they are connected. For example, they do not want customers to be able to send photos into one part of the world, not in the other under their same service.
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Connecting to phone-to-satellite is limited to SMS messages and small data (as with Apple's iMessage), but not yet sophisticated communications outside it. Skilo is working on delivering voice calls that I hope will be available at the end of 2025, although it may arrive in mid -2026.