One NZ expands Satellite TXT service to Samsung devices

One NZ has announced that its Satellite TXT service is now available on the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, Galaxy S23, and Galaxy S23 Ultra phones.

Initially launched late in 2024, the Satellite TXT service allowed texting via satellite, targeting areas previously considered mobile blackspots. With the inclusion of these popular Samsung phone models, the company aims to expand its customer base further. The service is available on specific plans at no additional cost.

Joe Goddard, Experience & Commercial Director at One NZ, stated, "We're stoked that customer feedback has been really positive so far. Over half of all customers currently eligible have already accessed One NZ Satellite since launch, sending and receiving thousands of text messages in previous mobile blackspots."

Goddard further highlighted the company's progress, saying, "Today, we begin the promised fast follow of additional phones onto the One NZ Satellite network, with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Series, Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Ultra, meaning thousands more One NZ customers across the country can now enjoy coverage like never before, when they have clear line of sight to the sky."

The satellite SMS service is expected to improve further in the upcoming months as more satellites will be added. This will reduce the time it takes to send and receive text messages to an average of one minute.

Joe Goddard is focused on expanding the service further: "Both Starlink and One New Zealand continue to work at pace to keep improving this innovative technology and offer it to more of our customers, and we're excited to announce new phones very soon as they pass our field testing."

He added, "It's also worth noting that One NZ is still the first and only telco globally to offer this commercial nationwide service, so we're on the groundbreaking edge of new tech."

The current service is a beta rollout available on a limited number of eligible phones and plans. Users are required to have a clear line of sight to the sky for the service to function. While the delivery times for satellite texts are currently slower than traditional text messaging, improvements are expected over time.