Verizon hedged its satellite bets by striking a direct-to-device (D2D) deal with Skylo Technologies to launch an emergency messaging and location-sharing service over the coming months for select Google Pixel and Samsung phones.

The operator stated it will offer customers with compatible devices the ability to text from anywhere in the US through the partnership in early 2025.

Verizon’s service for Android devices will be in addition to an Apple satellite messaging offering for iPhones equipped with iOS 18.

A representative for Skylo told Mobile World Live (MWL) the messaging service with Verizon is provisioned over L-band satellites owned by Viasat.

Verizon stated it will be the first mobile operator in the world to commercially launch supplemental smartphone connectivity on Skylo’s non-terrestrial network and the first mobile provider to launch a commercial D2D offering.

Earlier this month, Google announced its new Pixel 9 family of smartphones would be the first Android devices to provide satellite SOS messaging across the US through an arrangement with Skylo, available at no extra cost for two years on the smartphones.

Tim Farrar, president at TMF Associates, posted on X that Google agreed to pay Skylo for emergency messaging capacity on the Pixel devices, and it “looks like Verizon will pay for extra capacity for standard texting”. A Verizon representative told MWL it will not provide contract details.

He noted in another post T-Mobile US is paying SpaceX for capacity on its Starlink birds for a basic satellite service that is also free to consumers.

“Both set a precedent for any future contract with AST” SpaceMobile, he explained.

A Verizon representative told MWL there are no additional costs planned for the service, and capable devices can take advantage of it irrespective of customers’ tariffs.

The arrangement with Skylo also includes technical trials to provide IoT connectivity for enterprises offering services in remote areas.

“I think it’s a useful addition to their enterprise IoT services, but may not expand the market hugely, because the capabilities of mobile satellite service are limited to small amounts of much more expensive data, unlike terrestrial mobile networks which can carry much more data at far lower rates,” Farrar said.

AST SpaceMobile
Verizon also has an agreement with AST SpaceMobile to provide a space-based broadband service direct to mobile phones.

In May, Verizon committed $100 million to AST SpaceMobile.

AST SpaceMobile is expected to launch its first five birds next month.

A Verizon representative told MWL one of the reasons for signing up with Skylo is a desire to “make sure all of our customers with capable devices have the same basic satellite messaging connectivity”, until AST SpaceMobile’s satellites are up and running.