Out of Signal? These Phones Talk to Space! The Truth About Satellite SMS and Satellite Phones
The iPhone 14 introduced Emergency SOS via satellite in September 2022 using the Globalstar network, with a US/Canada launch in November 2022 and expansion to 17 countries by mid-2024. The Huawei Mate 60 Pro, released in August 2023, became the world’s first smartphone to support direct satellite voice calls via China’s Tiantong-1 GEO constellation. Iridium operates 66 active LEO satellites in polar orbits, providing truly worldwide coverage including the poles, with cross-links between satellites. Globalstar is a LEO network with dozens of satellites in ~52° inclination, covering most populated areas but not polar regions. Apple’s Emergency SOS and Messages via