Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- T-Mobile now lets anyone use Text to 911 via satellite, including Verizon and AT&T customers.
- Enabling the service is free, but you’ll need to sign up via T-Mobile’s enrollment page.
- Text to 911 works on most recent phones with satellite connectivity, although some iPhones and Pixels have their own version.
If you spend time hiking, driving cross-country, or exploring anywhere off the grid, this one’s worth knowing about. T-Mobile now lets anyone text 911 via satellite, even if you’re on Verizon or AT&T. The important thing to know is that you’ll need to sign up first, as it’s free but not automatic.
In its press release, T-Mobile explains to those unfamiliar that the Text to 911 feature is part of its T-Satellite system, which connects phones directly to Starlink’s 650-plus low-Earth orbit satellites. That network covers roughly half a million square miles of the US where normal cell service doesn’t reach. Once you’ve enrolled, your phone will automatically connect to “T-Mobile TXT911” when you’re outside tower range, showing a satellite icon on Android or “LTE” on the iPhone 13.
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To use it, you’ll need a phone capable of satellite connectivity. That’s most recent Android flagships and iPhones, except for the iPhone 14 and newer or Pixel 9 and 10 series, which already have their own satellite emergency systems. Non-T-Mobile phones also need to be unlocked and have an available eSIM before signing up through T-Mobile’s website. Of course, T-Mobile customers without the T-Satellite service included in their package can also sign up.
When connected, you can text 911 for emergency help, 988 or 838255 for mental health support, and 611 for T-Mobile customer care.
T-Satellite officially launched nationwide back in July. It’s available to T-Mobile customers through certain plans or for $10 per month, but this new emergency texting option is completely free to everyone with compatible hardware. If you don’t own one of the latest iPhones or Pixels, signing up now could save you a serious headache the next time you lose signal in the middle of nowhere.
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