T-Mobile Just Opened Free Satellite Texting To Nearly All US Phones For A Limited Time
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T-Mobile just fired the opening salvo in the race to bring satellite connectivity to the masses. The self-proclaimed Un-carrier has launched a nationwide beta of its new T-Satellite texting service, and you can sign up right now on the website.
The beta runs through the end of July and doesn’t cost a dime, but that’s not the best part. It’s open to anybody in the US, no matter what carrier or phone you use. Not only does nearly every phone support it, non-T-Mobile users will still be able to subscribe after official release — without needing to switch carriers (T-Mobile via TechRadar).
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Carrier-agnostic, direct-to-cell transmission
Courtesy of T-Mobile’s partnership with Starlink
Source: SpaceX and T-Mobile via YouTube
T-Satellite kicks in automatically when you’re outside the reach of traditional cell networks, giving users a lifeline when service drops to zero. During the beta, users can send and receive texts, and T-Mobile users that have already tested it report that SMS messages do work with zero cell reception.
T-Mobile plans to enable mobile data and voice calls via satellite at some point, too, although it hasn’t released a definite timeline yet. That will ultimately mark a significant departure from early satellite smartphone connectivity, which T-Mobile and Starlink enabled ahead of schedule after Hurricane Milton last year. AT&T users began receiving invitations to the beta program last week, and today’s news confirms everybody else can try it, too.
To join the beta, T-Mobile asks for your name, email address, and phone number. Here’s where a minor catch comes into play. Signing up adds you to a waiting list, with the signup page citing high demand as the reason behind a gradual rollout. But it’s a simple process, and free, so there’s no reason not to try it, especially if you spend a lot of time off-grid during the summer.
Which phones support T-Mobile’s T-Satellite service?
Verizon recently partnered with Skylo to offer satellite texting, but only select phones (namely, the Pixel 9 and Galaxy S25 families) have the right modem hardware to use it. In contrast, T-Satellite takes advantage of 1900MHz-band transmitters built directly into Starlink satellites. In other words, any US phone that supports the 1900MHz n2/n25 band can use the service. That’s pretty much every phone in the country.
Free for some, affordable for others
T-Mobile plans to officially roll out T-Satellite in July, bundling it at no additional cost with its Experience Beyond and Go5G Next plans. Customers on the Experience More plan will have access for free through the end of 2025.
Even more interestingly, it won’t be exclusive to T-Mobile customers. Users on competing networks will be able to use the service as well, presumably by signing up through T-Mobile directly. Once the free beta ends, T-Mobile plans a sticker price of $15 per month for users on any carrier, although it’s touting $10-per-month introductory pricing for an unspecified length of time.
It’s a smart move by the magenta carrier to expose even its competitors’ subscribers to the most practical satellite smartphone experience we’ve seen to date. If the beta goes smoothly and pricing remains competitive, T-Satellite could be a game-changer for travelers, hikers, rural residents, and anyone tired of the dreaded “No Service” message.
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