Summary
- Galaxy S25 supports satellite connectivity for emergencies, but don’t get too excited.
- Verizon is the only carrier currently offering free satellite messaging support for Galaxy S25.
- Other US carriers may eventually offer satellite messaging support on the Galaxy S25.
Samsung’s Galaxy S25 lineup is packed with cutting-edge hardware, including Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. The phone also supports satellite connectivity, though surprisingly, Samsung did not talk about it during the launch event. It does not even mention support for the 5G NTN bands on the Galaxy S25’s specs page. As it turns out, there’s a compelling reason for this.
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The Galaxy S25 series is the first Android phone to support Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Satellite connectivity feature. This allows the phone to connect to a satellite when out of the mobile network coverage area in an emergency, enabling you to text emergency services or your friends and family. However, you might not be able to use the feature because of how Samsung has implemented it.
As highlighted by Christian Frhr. von der Ropp, an independent satellite & telecoms consultant, Samsung has only opted to equip its latest flagship phones with the necessary hardware rather than directly collaborating with a satellite connectivity service provider. The responsibility now lies with mobile network operators to partner with a satellite service provider and enable emergency satellite connectivity for Galaxy S25 users on their networks (via Android Authority).
Samsung’s approach differs from that of Google and Apple. Both companies have directly signed an agreement with Skylo to ensure their flagship phones support satellite messaging regardless of the network they are on in the US.
To date, only Verizon has signed an agreement with Skylo to offer satellite messaging on Galaxy S25 units on its network. The carrier announced this collaboration in August last year, confirming that the service would be available free of charge to its customers.
Get the Pixel 9 if satellite connectivity is important
T-Mobile, AT&T, and other mobile operators have not yet announced support for satellite messaging on the Galaxy S25. This might change in the future, but for now, if you buy the Galaxy S25 and want satellite connectivity, you’ll have to switch to Verizon.
Otherwise, consider buying the Pixel 9. It is the only Android phone besides Samsung’s newest flagship in the US to support satellite messaging, and thanks to Google’s direct partnership with Skylo, it works across all carriers.
