Android 15 formally rolls out satellite messaging: Here's how it works

If you’re in a city, you likely won’t have any problems connecting to a mobile network. However, the coverage area only expands so far, so if you’re in a remote area, there’s a good chance you’ll have trouble finding a connection. In the past, being unable to connect to a mobile or Wi-Fi network would make it impossible to communicate. But that’s no longer the case with Android 15 bringing satellite connectivity to Android phones.

Today is the day, the stable version of Android 15 is finally rolling out. Along with the rollout, we’re getting a plethora of new features, including the satellite functionality we discovered and reported on back in March.

With satellite connectivity, you no longer have to worry about losing touch with others. If you find yourself in a dead zone, you’ll now be able to connect to a satellite, allowing you to continue sending and receiving messages without a mobile or Wi-Fi connection.

It’s important to note that this is not an SOS feature — like the iPhone’s Emergency SOS — that’s meant to be used only in emergencies. This means you won’t be limited to messaging emergency services; you’ll be able to message anyone you want. It also means the feature can be used anytime your mobile connection disappears.

Google notes that satellite connectivity should be compatible with carrier messaging apps. In the US, only a few carriers offer the option to activate satellite messaging. One of them is T-Mobile. Certain T-Mobile plan users have been able to activate satellite messaging from Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs > T-Mobile > Satellite Messaging after installing Android 15 betas. T-Mobile and SpaceX also recently enabled satellite-based texting services for T-Mobile users for free in regions affected by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. So it looks like with the stable rollout of Android 15 and Google making the feature official, it should be available to all eligible Pixel users and later to most Android 15 users. We’ve reached out to Google for more clarity.