T-Mobile brings free Starlink satellite skills to iPhone and Android phones – with a tempting bonus if you sign up now

(Image credit: Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

T-Mobile has opened a public US beta for Starlink satellite connectivity
You don’t need to be a T-Mobile customer to sign up
The service is free to test until July

T-Mobile has just announced you’ll now be able to access Starlink connectivity for free from your iPhone or Android device. The feature has just entered public beta and can be used by anyone who has a compatible device (see below for a full list), even if you're a customer with a different mobile carrier.

Once you’ve signed up, your phone will be able to automatically connect to Starlink’s satellite network. This lets you send and receive iMessages and SMS texts when Wi-Fi and cellular service are unavailable. T-Mobile says that support for voice calls and mobile data will arrive at a later date.

The service is free for now with limited spots available, and approved testers will get access until July. After that, any T-Mobile customer on the Go5G Next plan (or other eligible plan) will continue to receive Starlink connectivity for free. Other T-Mobile customers will pay $15 a month, while anyone else with a different carrier will pay $20 a month.

Seeing stars

Sattelite — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Apple users already have free access to satellite connectivity, although this is provided by Globalstar, not Starlink. Apple initially limited this to contacting emergency services, but it can now be used to send iMessages and SMS texts to anyone when you don’t have Wi-Fi or cellular service. Unlike Starlink, Apple users need to point their device at the sky to connect to a satellite.

Apple says that any users of T-Mobile’s Starlink offering will see the letters “SAT” in their device’s status bar when they’re connected to a satellite. If you want to use your device with Starlink, Apple says you’ll need a phone from the iPhone 14, iPhone 15 or iPhone 16 ranges, the latest version of iOS, and service from a compatible carrier (note that some carriers might require a specific supported cellular plan).

As for Android, T-Mobile says its Starlink service will work with "most smartphones from the last four years". A full list of compatible devices is below. So, the next time you’re out in the wilderness without a reliable mobile connection, you’ll have one more option at your disposal. You never know, it could end up saving the day.

These phones that are compatible with T-Mobile Starlink at the time of writing:

Apple iPhone 14 and later (including Plus, Pro & Pro Max)
Google Pixel 9 (including Pro, Pro Fold, & Pro XL)
Motorola 2024 and later (including razr, razr+, edge and g series)
Samsung Galaxy A14, A15, A16, A35, A53, A54
Samsung Galaxy S21 and later (including Plus, Ultra and Fan Edition)
Samsung Galaxy X Cover6 Pro
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 and later
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and later
REVVL 7 (including Pro)

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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.