What you need to know
- T-Mobile announced its “Satellite-ready” apps, which can now leverage its T-Satellite network for off-grid use.
- Users on Android and iOS will find apps like WhatsApp, X (Formerly Twitter), AccuWeather, and more available when without a cell signal.
- T-Satellite launched back in July after extensive testing with T-Mobile that garnered roughly 1.8 million testers.
T-Mobile’s announcing an expansion of its satellite connectivity services for enrolled users, and this new update says you can bring your apps with you.
Announced via a press release this morning (Oct 1), T-Mobile says its “power apps” with its T-Satellite service, so your “favorite” apps come with you when you’re off-grid. The president of marketing, innovations, and experience at T-Mobile, Mike Katz, said, “The response from the first two months of T-Satellite commercial service has blown us away. We started with just text messaging and text-to-911, and those capabilities alone have proven to be invaluable for wireless users.”
Katz adds that the company is now looking to bring those same valuable connectivity experiences to users’ favorite apps.
As a result, T-Mobile announced a new selection of “Satellite-ready apps” that have received support for satellite connectivity over its network. The following apps are now Satellite-ready over T-Mobile:
- T-Life (T-Satellite support)
- AllTrails
- AccuWeather
- CalTopo
- onX
- X (formerly Twitter)
Off-grid and stress free
When it comes to X, T-Mobile states its satellite connectivity network will keep you involved with the social media platform if you lose your cellular connection. Users can view posts, videos, GIFs, and more through T-Satellite. Additionally, users can “control when high-res media loads” to avoid overusing their data. For WhatsApp, T-Satellite customers can now start voice and video calls anywhere without a cell connection. Texting, sending pictures, and the like are possible, too.
Access to these apps for T-Satellite customers is rolling out for Android and iOS users today (Oct 1).
Consumers on T-Mobile business plans will find T-Satellite support for apps like DialPad, FLORIAN, MultiLine, and T-Mobile Direct Connect.
The press release to Android Central earlier today states, “T-Satellite is included on T-Mobile’s best plans and available to all other wireless users — even Verizon and AT&T customers — for $10/month.”
T-Mobile’s “Satellite-ready” apps are essentially getting an expansion with this update. When the satellite service first launched, the company supported off-grid use for apps like Google Messages, Find Hub, Pixel Weather, Apple Music, Weather, Fitness, Samsung’s Weather app, and more. You could probably see those apps as more like the “core” of the matter, and what’s rolling out now is an expansion of that sentiment.
T-Mobile launched its T-Satellite service on July 23 after an extensive testing period in which roughly 1.8 million users joined to help polish. Also in July, T-Mobile started roping in Samsung and Motorola users into its off-grid services with MMS texting support. Users without a signal could still send images, GIFS, and audio clips for certain devices at the time. There’s more that’s worth knowing, but it’s all relatively straightforward when you get down to it.
