Samsung Galaxy S25: you will still have to wait to benefit from satellite communication
Unlike Apple or Google, who proudly presented their satellite services, Samsung has remained surprisingly silent on the subject. However, the Galaxy S25, S25+ And Galaxy S25 Ultra are the first Android smartphones to feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon Satellite technology. This system allows communication in areas without network coverage, practical in the event of an emergency.
But here it is: if the equipment is ready, the service is not. Samsung has chosen to leave the responsibility for activating the functionality to mobile operators. As a result, without a partnership between an operator and a satellite connectivity provider like Skylo, this technology remains unusable.
Very limited deployment
To date, only Verizon in the United States has signed a deal with Skylo to enable this feature. Subscribers of this operator can therefore benefit from satellite messaging for free on the Galaxy S25. But for American customers with other operators, such as AT&T or T-Mobile, they will have to wait until a similar partnership is established.
Outside the United States, the situation is even murkier. No major operator has yet announced a plan to enable this technology, leaving international users in limbo. In France for example, the situation around satellite communication on the Samsung Galaxy S25 remains uncertain. Unlike Apple, which offers it through a partnership with Globalstar, Samsung has not entered into a similar agreement to guarantee universal coverage.
As it stands, Samsung relies on a strategy that delegates the activation of satellite connectivity to telecom operators. In France, none of the main players — Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom or Free — has yet announced a collaboration with a satellite service provider (like Skylo, or Iridium, etc.).
This means that, despite the presence of 5G NTN compatible hardware in the Galaxy S25s, French users will not yet be able to send messages via satellite, whether for emergencies or other uses. In a country where white zones – places without mobile coverage – still exist, satellite connectivity could meet a real need. But for the moment, there is no sign of a short-term deployment.
