You read earlier this year from Your Survival Guy about the expansion of satellite communications options to include Starlink via its partnership with T-Mobile. Now, Verizon is partnering with Skylo to provide satellite communications as well. At PC Mag, Michael Kan discusses some of the differences between Skylo and Cellular Starlink. He writes:
Still, as the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” While I could easily send texts and emoji with Skylo, the service doesn’t currently support RCS, which allows texters to exchange high-quality media.
That’s when I turned to my second Android phone, a Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. The device had also connected the moment I entered the dead zone near Lake Tahoe. Except it was capturing a signal from SpaceX’s cellular Starlink system, which spans over 600 low-earth orbiting satellites.
With the S24 FE, I could send pictures, letting me share the surrounding scenery with my dad. It’s one of the major perks of T-Mobile’s T-Satellite, which is available to customers on rival carriers, including AT&T and Verizon, as a secondary eSIM. On the downside, most users need to pay $10 per month unless you’re on T-Mobile’s most premium plans.
Like Skylo, the cellular Starlink system can also send texts and reach emergency services. But in July, T-Mobile upgraded the Starlink service to support Multimedia Messaging Service, giving you a way to send pictures, audio, and even video clips. T-Satellite also seems to support RCS, and will show icons that a message has been sent, and even a typing indicator for whoever you’re messaging.
Action Line: In this evolving market, which service is “the best” may not be the same for very long, and it may move from one provider to another many times. You should examine all the options available to you and work within your budget to get the best service you can for your needs. But remember, it’s better to have communication than to be completely without. If you don’t have some form of backup service, you’re at greater risk. Click here to subscribe to my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter.
