Pixel 9 Satellite Functionality?

23Sha-ger

BeepBeep
Lol, give me a break with his timelines. They became a joke in the IT world.
Manager: ETA?
Employee: Next year, we are working on it.
Manager: Calendar year or Elon Musk next year? :)

Cybertuck, Robotaxi, landing on Mars and whatever.
Yes he delivers, just never on advertized time.

Back to our topic, I said that the current hardware can't support it. If this comes in Pixel 15, that would be great, just too early to make any plans about this now.

BeepBeep

23Sha-ger

You originally wrote, "I'm not aware of any plans to expand this technology for real internet usage..."

I simply thought you would enjoy knowing that there were, in fact, just such plans out there. Perhaps someone else will.

KentG

I have a new Pixel 9 that I've installed GrapheneOS on (tokay 2025110800). After inserting my SIM card, I logged on to tmobile.com and paid $10 per phone line per month for the T-Satellite Add-on (option not available until you have a phone with the required hardware). I installed Google Play services and dependencies, and I installed and set Google Messages as my Default SMS app. I disabled RCS on the Messages app. Then, I went out in the desert where there is no cell coverage. I got a Phone Services notification "Auto connected to satellite", and I even got a little satellite icon at the upper right corner of my phone. After unlocking the phone, I opened Messages and sent an SMS text message. The first message took about 1 minute to connect to satellite and send, but after that, I could send and receive messages with a latency of only about 5 seconds or so per message. Files and images are blocked in Messages with a satellite connection. There is no data connection with satellite, so other messaging apps, Signal, WhatsApp, etc. will not work. I was in a valley with only 45 degrees from the zenith of clear sky in two directions, but it worked great. Much faster and more convenient than the Iridium based system I had been using for backcountry communications.

I'm aware that this configuration may not have acceptable privacy/security for some Graphene users, but it does work with T-Satellite.

DeletedUser622

KentG I installed Google Play services and dependencies, and I installed and set Google Messages as my Default SMS app.

Is it mandatory for the satellite service?

KentG

Probably. When you use stock Google Android to connect to T-Satellite, you get loud repeated messages that only Messages will work. T-Mobile's directions say to use Google Messages: https://www.t-mobile.com/support/tutorials/device/google/pixel-9/topic/email-amp-messaging/how-to-send-a-message-via-t-satellite-with-starlink

Samsung users are being told they will have to use Google Messages to connect to Satellite https://samsung.gadgethacks.com/news/when-your-phone-finally-reaches-for-the-stars-samsungs-satellite-gamble/

However, I have not tried it. My thought is that if Google has tweaked timeouts/retries for Satellite, even if something else seems to work, my plan is to stick with the suggested config for satellite for now. By the way, you get small text links/messages in Google Messages when you are connected to Satellite, things like "what to expect when connected to satellite"), so the app clearly knows when it is in satellite mode.

antonba

I got the Pixel 10 Pro, installed GrapheneOS, and also have T-Satellite enabled. Hoping to test it out this coming weekend. Any tips on any diagnostics data I should gather if it doesn't work?

Technically, I think it should work. None of the ways the satellite "stack" is different appear to be missing in GOS, but I could be wrong.

(starting for the network level) They do QOS at the Starlink network level - transparent.
The satellite "base stations" broadcast a different network, but this is effectively a roaming partner for T-Mobile - nothing not already supported in AOSP.
The phone's modem supports 3GPP Release 17 (or even later versions) to do a clever handshake with the satellite and determine the best frequency compensation for the Doppler shift. And also other cool stuff, but all of this is in the modem firmware which is unmodified by GOS. No reason this should not just work out of the box.
On the Android OS level, there are satellite APIs which tell apps they are on a satellite connection so they can adjust their behavior (enter low-bandwidth mode). These APIs are apparently part of AOSP, so again, they should exist in GOS as well.

So all of this should just work. But again, happy to gather any data on what could be failing if it doesn't.

Also addressing some other comments - there is data through T-Satellite too, and there is a limited, but not short list of apps supported - WhatsApp, AllTrails, Google Maps, AccuWeather, CalTopo, onX, X and more coming too (I hear Signal too).

In fact WhatsApp is advertised as supporting voice and video calls over satellite too! To be clear, the Starlink direct to cell beam has a total bandwidth of 10 Mbps for a circle with a diameter of up to 20 miles. So it depends on how busy this area gets, but this is only for the remotest parts of the US with no cell service, so by definition they are the opposite of busy. Also this being LEO satellites, latency should actually be pretty good, 20-60 ms, which is a lot better than a 56k dial up connection with expected latency of 100-300 ms so very much contrary to a prior comment by @23Sha-ger.

LeslieFH

antonba So, did it work? :-)

rlneyhard

antonba
Does it work? I live and work in an area that doesn't have good cell service and would gladly upgrade my Pixel 8 Pro for a 10 if this is confirmed to work.
Thanks

Blastoidea

Is the satellite in a geosynchronous orbit?

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