When will satellite calling--not SOS texting--be available for iPhone Pro Max 16

Voice calling for any old non-emergency use is something quite different from SOS texting for emergencies only.

Use Emergency SOS via satellite on your iPhone - Apple Support

If there ever is support for non-emergency voice calling through satellites, I suspect you will have to pay a carrier for that service, just as you pay a carrier for cellular phone service now. It won't be free for two years.

I believe you are seeing the service provided by Apple that includes texting and emergency services, but not phone calls.

Connect to a satellite with your iPhone - Apple Support

Carriers are experimenting with their own Satellite services and your phone is capable to use those when they become available. I have not seen calls being used in those services, but it may be possible at some point. T-Mobile has a beta for their satellite texting service that is currently in beta and will be available for a fee or if you subscribe to their most expensive plan.

Have you taken the demo yet? Did you read the information at the link Jim posted?

ThIs is nothing but a way to get to standard Apple SOS satellite service that is texting only. Sorry.

No major corporations will tell you their plans before they are publicly announced via a press release or public announcement. Otherwise it might qualify as insider information.

It is public knowledge that Verizon owns one satellite service and is part owner in another. So, I think they have something up their sleeve, but not ready to publicly announce anything.

Yes, correct. But neither one is voice. The first service involving voice seems to be T-Mobile’s partnership with Starlink.

If you’re looking for a replacement to a satellite phone, we are still probably months off.

HardingCB (Author)

Perhaps the actual Emergency Call portion of this service

may not be available to you, in your region or country(?)

That said, an additional article covers emergency calls as

this pertains to information in a second article here. This

only Spells Out the earlier details; as this isn't available

to most markets as of yet..

Use Emergency SOS via satellite on your iPhone - Apple Support

"With iPhone 14 or later (all models), you can use Emergency SOS via satellite to text emergency services when you're off the grid with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage."

• How Emergency SOS via satellite works
• Before you go off the grid
• Text emergency services via satellite
• Emergency SOS via satellite availability

So, hard to tell where reading the first portion to see extra

information to see how additional details could affect you.

..Not sure if this helps ~ as extra factoids appear here..

In my state (AK) this might see other effort given wider

application faster; we're gifted with very limited Cellular

Coverage, too. And Few Towers; with more geography...

I suspect by first quarter 2026 both Verizon and AT&T will have announced their plans for service as well. T-Mobile is offering free trials of their service for a few more months..

The reason why it shows as Satellite Not Available and opens to the demo is because you currently have cellular or WiFi coverage. This is explained in the link I provided earlier.

If you have cellular or Wi-Fi coverage, the Satellite option in Settings won't appear and the Satellite option in Control Center opens the Satellite Connection Demo.

HardingCB wrote:

I have SOS calling by accessing the Settings menu.

That is to quickly make an emergency call that is not related to satellite service.

Make an emergency call or text on iPhone or Apple Watch - Apple Support

Which carrier / plan are you referring to here? Is there a link available for more details?

I cannot duplicate what you are reporting, but I'm not using Verizon.

Maybe another user can help.

I use AT&T and not on my regular iPhone or my beta iPhone.

The plot thickens. 😁