Australia’s first satellite text messaging service for mobile users has already seen Telstra customers send or receive more than one million text messages in just ten days. It took New Zealand four months to reach the same total. Telstra’s satellite coverage is powered by a collaboration with SpaceX’s Starlink Direct to Cell technology,
Initially rolled out to Samsung Galaxy S25 series devices on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, the service was extended to iPhone users over the weekend, when the service uptake exploded. The satellite coverage spans most of mainland Australia and Tasmania, excluding the Australian Radio Quiet Zone in Western Australia and remote offshore territories.
The service currently supports text messaging only and is not designed for emergency services. Telstra plans to continuously test and refine the service, with future expansions to include more eligible devices. Customers can stay updated on the latest eligible devices by checking the Telstra website. Djuro has already been hunting for some blackspots to test the service, and there’s more to come from us about the service too.
