Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- T-Mobile’s Starlink-powered T-Satellite service now supports satellite roaming in Canada and New Zealand.
- The change adds basic off-grid backup coverage, but it still needs a compatible phone and a clear view of the sky.
- The expanded agreements involve Rogers in Canada and One NZ, with customers of those providers also able to use T-Satellite in the US.
T-Mobile’s satellite service has so far been a nice plan B rather than something you’d use every day. It’s a limited-speed backup option for when you’re off-grid, and T-Mobile recently admitted that customers are using T-Satellite far less than expected. Still, the company is expanding its Starlink-powered safety net, and it can now follow you beyond the US.
Have you used satellite connectivity on your phone?
132 votes
Yes, it worked well
8%
Yes, it worked okay
3%
Yes, but it was a bad experience
3%
No, but I’d like to try it
73%
No, and I’m not interested in it
13%
As spotted by Mobile Internet Resource Center, T-Mobile has expanded its roaming agreements with Rogers in Canada and One NZ in New Zealand to include satellite coverage. T-Mobile customers could already roam in Canada and New Zealand, but the new agreements mean T-Satellite can now also kick in there, giving travelers a little extra peace of mind. The arrangements are reciprocal, so Rogers customers with satellite service can roam onto T-Satellite coverage while in the US.
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Just like in the US, T-Satellite is still a backup connection in those countries for areas without normal cellular coverage. You’ll need a compatible phone, a clear view of the sky, and the right conditions for your device to fall back to satellite in the first place. That caveat matters because T-Mobile has already been called out over how broadly it advertised T-Satellite. The company previously leaned on claims suggesting that simply seeing the sky was enough to stay connected, but the National Advertising Review Board recommended that T-Mobile pull back on that messaging.
Still, this could be a meaningful upgrade if you travel through more remote parts of Canada or New Zealand, of which there are plenty. In such locales, the ability to get a basic message out is likely to be far more consequential than having a fast data connection. T-Mobile’s coverage map now reflects the new coverage in Canada, with T-Satellite available up to the 58th parallel.
T-Satellite is included with T-Mobile’s top-tier smartphone plans for consumer and business customers. Other T-Mobile customers can add it for $10 per month, while non-T-Mobile customers can sign up with a compatible eSIM-capable phone.
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