Verizon follows Google in Skylo partnership for satellite-based texting

What you need to know

• Verizon detailed its partnership with Skylo to bring commercial direct-to-device satellite-based texting services to its customers "this fall."
• Skylo is the same satellite network Google uses for the Pixel 9, and Verizon states it will offer satellite roaming capabilities whenever its network is lost.
• Verizon states that the service will arrive for "certain smartphones," but it does not specify which phones users can expect.

Verizon announced the beginning of a "first-of-its-kind" trial of satellite IoT, bringing such communication to commercial users "this fall."

According to a press release, Verizon says it has partnered with Skylo to bring satellite-based text messaging to its customers (via 9to5Google).

Srini Kalapala, Senior vice president of Technology and Product Development for Verizon stated, "We are encouraged by the progress being made in satellite-to-device communications for consumers and are equally excited to be driving technical innovation trials in the space of satellite IoT solutions."

Verizon highlights its partnership with Skylo due to its mobile satellite spectrum. The post adds that this technology should help "avoid" any network interference caused by terrestrial signals. More importantly, it brings that level of stability Verizon hopes to achieve for users connecting to satellites for text messaging in rural areas and places without a cell signal.

Starting later "this fall," Verizon states it will rollout its direct-to-device satellite-based text messaging capabilities for "certain phones." The company states this access will grant emergency messaging and location sharing with its cellular network is lost.

The company adds that it will be the first mobile carrier to launch commercial satellite-based communication. Unfortunately, Verizon doesn't specify which devices to expect satellite connectivity for. The publication speculates that this could arrive for a few Android phones that don't have this capability built-in.

While Verizon drums this up as a feature regular customers can expect, it does tease more for its enterprise (Business) users. Dubbed "satellite IoT roaming," the network provider hopes to expand its work with this communication to agriculture, transportation, maritime, and more.

The post adds that this solution can aid companies in monitoring animal movements, soil quality, and crops.

What's notable about this announcement is Verizon's use of the same global satellite network that Google leverages. Through Satellite SOS, the Pixel 9 series uses Skylo to send, receive, and route a user's SOS functions from their phone to a satellite. All of your relevant emergency information is chucked over to Garmin and its 24/7 Response Team for assistance.

Google recently launched Satellite SOS on its Pixel 9 series, which included a useful demo. Users can simulate what it's like to connect to a satellite and have a pretend conversation about an emergency. The feature offers a set of questions at the start; however, the demo forgoes that in this fake scenario.