T-Mobile’s T-Satellite service fully launched back in July. The add-on offers satellite-based cellular connectivity for when you’re not in an area covered by typical land-based cell towers, and offers calls, texts, and even data for certain apps.
Typically this add-on costs $10 per month for both T-Mobile customers (unless you’re on the premium plan) and non-T-Mobile customers alike. But what if you’re in the middle of nowhere and have an emergency? That’s where T-911 comes in.
T-Mobile has announced that “T-911”, which is the company’s name for being able to text emergency services, is now free for everyone. No matter what carrier you have, you can sign up today and have the ability to text 911 (and a few other numbers) at no charge.
This makes good on T-Mobile’s promise to offer satellite 911 access back in June during their “Trade-offs left the chat” live stream.
The only catch is you’ll need to have a compatible phone that doesn’t already have its own emergency services built-in. That primarily refers to Moto phones, Samsung phones, and T-Mobile’s own Revvl line. The Google Pixel 9a and the iPhone 13 are also included, as these devices have satellite capabilities but are not already covered by Google’s SOS and Apple’s emergency SOS respectively.
Once enabled, customers will be able to text not only 911, but also 988 for mental health support and 838255 for the Veteran Crisis Line. Oh, and of course, you’ll be able to text 611 to reach T-Mobile support, too.
Enabling T-911 for T-Mobile Customers
Adding T-911 service to your existing T-Mobile postpaid plan is simple, and is done via the line add-ons section of the T-Life app. Note that if you already have T-Satellite on your line, there’s no need to manually enable T-911, because it’s already included in your satellite plan add-on.
First, open the T-Life app, then tap manage on the bottom right. Scroll down and tap the line you wish to add T-911 service to. Scroll all the way down until you see “Manage add-ons and data” and tap it.
Find the section called “Line-level services” and find the add-on called “T-Mobile Text to 911 via satellite” as shown in the image below, and check the checkbox.
Finally, scroll down and hit submit, then the confirmation button on the next screen to “place the order”. That’s it! You’re all set for that line. Repeat the steps above for every line on your account that you wish to have the add-on enabled.
Note that if your device already has emergency services included (such as on a newer iPhone or a Pixel 10), you won’t be able to use T-911 on that line.
Enabling T-911 on other carriers
If you’re not on T-Mobile already, T-911 service will be added just like the company’s standard T-Satellite is added—via eSIM.
Note that if you already have a T-Satellite plan, you won’t need to do any of this. Your phone will already text 911 as part of the T-Satellite line you already have.
To sign up for free, visit this page on T-Mobile’s website and fill out the form.
After confirming your number via a one-time pin and entering your IMEI for a compatibility check, you’ll be taken to a second form to enter your date-of-birth and address, as well as setting up an account pin.
Once that’s done, follow the instructions given from there to finish account setup and install your eSIM.
For some reason, we weren’t able to get past the second form while testing signup for this article, so we’re not 100% sure of what the process looks like from there, but it should be relatively simple.
Using T-911
T-Mobile’s T-911 eSIM is designed to work automatically when needed.
If you are in an area with no land-based coverage at all, including competitor networks, the T-911 eSIM will automatically connect. On Android devices, you’ll see a satellite icon at the top of your phone where the signal bars are, and on the iPhone 13, you’ll just see “LTE”.
When connected, the carrier name displayed will be “T-Mobile TXT911”. That means you’re good to go if you need to contact emergency services. You’ll even receive Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) in the event of a weather emergency, amber alert, etc.
To use T-911, simply open the same messages app you already use for texting and enter the emergency number you want to text. Enter your message and hit send.
Having a way to contact emergency services at all times is incredibly important. Now, no matter where you are, you’ll always have a way to get help.
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