How to Use Your iPhone to Text Over Satellite When You’re Adventuring

Traveling is stressful That’s enough for most of us, but not being able to text while on the road is a nightmare. in a iphonewhenever a message cannot be delivered, you’ll see the dreaded text “Not Delivered” with an exclamation point in a red circle. For some of us, this is worse than losing our luggage, especially when you are in an unfamiliar area and need to contact someone immediately (the rental property manager, your family, your driver).

Luckily, Apple recently added the ability to send text messages via satellite iOS 18 Applicable to iPhone 14 and newer models. This extension to iPhone satellite connectivity — something Apple previously only offered Emergency Satellite SOS Service— Providing regular text messaging services to areas without cell phone coverage; just like if you were sending cavalry in remote areas.

Oddly enough, while satellites are available anywhere on Earth, you can only send text messages via satellite when you’re traveling in the United States and Canada. This means there are two common situations that can arise when you travel. One is when you get into the wild; cell phone towers don’t always extend signal into national parks, state parks, near rivers or certain rural areas. The other is in urban areas; tall buildings and poor infrastructure can also weaken mobile phone signals. But in these places, satellite connections are still available.

Fortunately, the steps to connect to a satellite to send text messages are simple. Here’s how to make sure you can still send messages to anyone anywhere in the United States or Canada.

Get ready for your trip

The first step before you go is to check the cellular service coverage map. You can contact your wireless carrier to ask about coverage, but here is a good resource Federal Communications Commission Map. You can select your carrier and view voice and data coverage.

I was planning a trip to a state park in my area where I noticed that most of the cabins and the entire canyon along the river had no voice or data service coverage. Knowing if you can connect will help you avoid surprises. If you’re traveling with several people, not being able to text anyone can lead to some serious chaos. You can also experience no signal in cities; I visited one specific downtown area of ​​Minneapolis (right near Target Center) where cell phone coverage was very weak.

The FCC’s coverage map shows exactly where cell coverage may not be effective, and the level of detail is surprising. You can zoom into specific city blocks or roads in a park to see if they are covered. (Also, if your phone has trouble finding a signal, its battery will drain faster. So if you’re going to remote areas, bring a battery pack.)

How to connect to a satellite to send messages

Once you arrive at your destination, you’ll find that cell service deteriorates as you enter remote areas. For me, when I visit state parks, the first thing I notice is that my AT&T service says 5G+ in the upper right corner, then 5G, and finally LTE. Technically, it feels like stepping back in time. At the riverside, the LTE icon goes completely blank and then displays the satellite icon. This was my first clue that I had another way to send text messages.

I opened the Messages app and there was a prompt at the top of the screen that said “Stay connected and let others know you’re available via satellite,” followed by a button that said “Use Messages via satellite.” Click the button and you will see a screen showing the planet’s curvature and a message “Satellites will be available soon.” It feels a bit like a treasure hunt at this point. You’ll see prompts to turn left or right toward the satellite. Click on the satellite that appears and remain still, facing the same direction for about a minute. Eventually, the screen will light up with a green beacon. You are now connected! You’ll see options to connect via messaging, use the Find My app, request roadside assistance or send an SOS.