TL;DR
- Verizon’s roadside assistance program now works via satellite on recent iPhones.
- The program is available for $4.99 a month or on a pay-per-use basis.
Apple introduced roadside assistance via satellite on the iPhone 15 series, teaming up with AAA to offer this service. Now, Verizon is taking advantage of the iPhone’s satellite tech for its own roadside assistance program.
MacRumors spotted an updated Apple support page confirming that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 lines can connect to Verizon’s roadside assistance program via satellite. The addition comes as part of the iOS 17.2 update and requires the device to have a Verizon SIM.
Verizon’s roadside assistance service is available as a $4.99 per month subscription per line or on a pay-per-use basis. Opt for the subscription, and you’ll get four service claims in areas of cellular coverage as well as one claim via satellite each year. These claims include winching, up to 10 miles of towing, jump-starting the battery, lockout assistance, and up to three gallons of fuel delivery.
Prefer the idea of pay-per-use pricing? Then you’ll be charged $154 for a five-mile tow (plus $7.25 for each additional mile), $98 for a tire change, and $92 for fuel delivery/lockout/jump start.
We’re nevertheless glad to see Verizon offering satellite-based roadside assistance alongside its existing terrestrial/cellular coverage. Fingers crossed that this option comes to Android phones when they eventually get widespread satellite support.
