T-Mobile: Cellular Starlink's Satellite Data Won't Work on Every Phone

(Credit: PCMag/Michael Kan)

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As T-Mobile's cellular Starlink system expands to transmit satellite data to mobile apps, the carrier says not every phone will support the feature.

After confirming that Google's Pixel 10 phones will receive early access to satellite data when they launch on Aug. 28, T-Mobile updated its T-Satellite website to list the phone models that will and won't get access.

For other phones, the company plans to officially launch the satellite data feature on Oct. 1. T-Mobile’s cellular Starlink can already deliver satellite-based texts, including images, audio, and even video, helping users stay connected in dead zones. The upcoming satellite data feature will enable select third-party apps to remain connected as well.

Around 70 phones, including Apple’s iPhone 13 to 16 and the latest Samsung Galaxy handsets, can run the satellite service. But T-Mobile's updated support page lists 14 phone models that don’t support the satellite data feature:

Google Pixel 9a
moto g 2024
moto razr 2024
moto razr+ 2024
moto edge 2024
moto g stylus 2024
Samsung Galaxy A14
Samsung Galaxy S21
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4

It's unclear why some phones won’t support the feature, or if this will change over time. We reached out to T-Mobile, Samsung, Google, and Lenovo’s Motorola for comment, and we’ll update the story if we hear back.

Some of the phones were released in 2021, whereas others arrived in the last year. The Pixel 9a launched in April. We wonder if it’s a regulatory or a technical issue involving the phone’s modem or software optimization. (According to T-Mobile's support page, the Pixel 9a also won't receive "Picture messaging" support.)

In the meantime, Pixel 10 phones will only receive early access to the satellite data feature for three apps: Google Maps, Google Messages, and Find Hub. But T-Mobile plans to expand the function to more apps, including AccuWeather, WhatsApp, and X.

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Principal Reporter

My Experience

I've been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I'm currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country's technology sector.

Since 2020, I've covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I've combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink's cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I'm now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I'm always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

The Best Tech I've Had:

My first video game console: a Nintendo Famicom
I loved my Sega Saturn despite PlayStation's popularity.
The iPod Video I received as a gift in college
Xbox 360 FTW
The Galaxy Nexus was the first smartphone I was proud to own.
The PC desktop I built in 2013, which still works to this day.

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