Samsung Galaxy S25 Supports Satellite Messaging, But Only on Verizon for Now
Christian Frhr. von der Ropp, an independent satellite & telecoms specialist, has pointed out that instead of working directly with a satellite connectivity service provider, Samsung has chosen to simply outfit its newest flagship phones with the required hardware. Mobile network operators are now in charge of collaborating with a satellite service provider to allow emergency satellite connectivity for Galaxy S25 users on their networks (via Android Authority).
Every Samsung Galaxy S25 phone has an overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which can even send and receive messages via satellite. Since the feature isn’t available to everyone, the maker has never discussed it.
Samsung will let carriers handle service contracts with satellite operators, which is the reason. There is now just one satellite provider available on the open market: Skylo, which exclusively partners with Verizon in the US.
Basically, in order to provide the option for Samsung Galaxy S25 users, each carrier must enter into an agreement with Skylo for satellite messaging. In contrast, Apple and Globalstar entered into a direct arrangement at the time of the iPhone 14’s release, which is why Apple customers have access to the Emergency SOS service (where accessible).
Samsung takes a different tack than Apple and Google. In order to guarantee that their flagship phones support satellite messaging independent of the US network they are on, both firms have directly struck an arrangement with Skylo.
Samsung’s Satellite Messaging Feature Relies on Carrier Partnerships
Verizon is the only company that has partnered with Skylo to provide satellite messaging on Galaxy S25 devices connected to its network thus far. The airline confirmed that the service will be free for its users when it announced this partnership in August of last year.
Support for satellite messaging on the Galaxy S25 has not yet been disclosed by T-Mobile, AT&T, or other mobile providers. If you want satellite access and purchase a Galaxy S25, you will need to switch to Verizon for the time being, however this may change in the future.
