Verizon has boosted the supply of satellite-based direct-to-cellular, or D2C, texting capabilities of its prospects who’re utilizing sure Android telephone fashions.
The provider referred to as the transfer a “important growth of its satellite tv for pc texting capabilities,” and mentioned that its prospects can ship textual content messages to “every other buyer machine through satellite tv for pc when exterior the attain of terrestrial mobile networks.”
System upgrades have already began to some Samsung Galaxy S25 and Google Pixel 9 smartphones, to allow the Non-Terrestrial Community (NTN) D2C texting functionality.
“We’re dedicated to powering the lives of our prospects. Verizon’s community is America’s largest and already covers 99% of the locations the place folks dwell, work and play. This growth of satellite tv for pc texting capabilities is a testomony to our dedication to make sure prospects keep linked wherever they’re,” mentioned Joe Russo, EVP and president of world community and expertise for Verizon. “We all know our prospects anticipate extra and we proceed to innovate for them.”
Verizon has a number of NTN irons within the fireplace. It has a business relationship with Skylo to allow D2C messaging for Verizon prospects, which it has been engaged on since final 12 months in anticipation of a service launch this 12 months. It has additionally made a $100 million dedication to AST SpaceMobile in mid-2024, which was comprised of $65 million in business prepayments plus $35 million of convertible notes, to additional its NTN ambitions.
Verizon final month efficiently accomplished its first Non-Terrestrial Community (NTN) dwell video name between a tool on its terrestrial mobile community and one linked through an AST SpaceMobile satellite tv for pc.
Different mobile community suppliers and machine producers together with T-Cellular US, Vodafone, Apple and Google have been testing and prepping new NTN providers up to now few months, with some choices set to go business this 12 months. T-Cellular US launched its beta NTN service with Starlink earlier this 12 months as nicely.
