One NZ Satellite TXT is a new service that uses coverage outside of traditional cell-tower coverage. The initial service is for TXT only and is launching on a limited number of eligible phones with an eligible plan . It requires clear line of sight to the sky. Service limitations, network performance, phone and plan eligibility will improve over time.

The initial TXT service will take longer to send and receive text messages. In many cases, TXT messages will be sent and received within 3 minutes. However, at times it may take 10 minutes or longer to send and receive a text message via satellite, especially during the first few months. If your TXT fails to send, then try again. As the service matures and more satellites are launched, we expect the delivery times of TXTs to improve.

The type of eligible phone you are using, where you are in New Zealand and whether a satellite is currently overhead will all have an impact on whether your TXT is sent or received and how long it takes.

No. The One NZ Satellite TXT service is an extra layer of protection and will enable two-way communication so you can contact friends or family members when outside traditional cell-tower coverage. If you are planning a trip to a remote area, it is always recommended to take a personal locator beacon in case of emergency.

The service is currently limited to a subset of phones that are eligible that we have thoroughly tested. We are working closely with leading phone manufacturers to rollout a growing number of models over the next few months. Phones purchased outside of New Zealand (including parallel imports) may not be compatible.

If you are a One NZ customer on one of the eligible mobile plans listed below with an eligible phone, you will be able to use One NZ Satellite TXT at no extra charge.

• Consumer: Current Pay Monthly plans
• Business: Current Endless Mobile and Teams plans

1. Check you are satellite-ready

You need an eligible plan and phone to TXT through space. Check this before you head out of traditional cell-tower coverage. You can check our cell-tower coverage map here . There is nothing else you need to do to enable the service.

If you purchase a new eligible phone it is recommended that you unbox and set it up whilst you are in a WiFi or traditional cell-tower coverage area. Please make sure that you have done all the system updates to your phone before you go into One NZ Satellite network coverage.

If you are using One NZ Satellite TXT for the first time ever, you may need to wait for 20-30 minutes for your phone to connect to the One NZ Satellite network.

2. Ensure you have clear line of sight to the sky

Finding open spaces or an area that's unobstructed by things such as buildings, trees, structures etc. will help your phone 'find' the satellites. If you are near a window it's likely that your phone will also 'find' a satellite. You don't need to hold your phone towards the sky in order for it to connect to a satellite.

3. Look for 'One NZ SpaceX' on your phones network banner

The One NZ SpaceX network banner at the top left of your phone screen shows when your phone is connected to a satellite. There will be short gaps when the banner will disappear but don't worry the next satellite should come within minutes and the banner will reappear.

4. Send your TXT via the TXT app on your phone

One NZ Satellite TXT is amazing new technology and doesn't work like standard mobile cell-tower technology. In many cases, TXT messages will be sent and received within 3 minutes. However, at times it may take 10 minutes or longer to send and receive a text message via satellite. Performance will improve over time as more satellites are launched.

You can check your TXT has been sent by looking for the time stamp and it may take some time to send. If your TXT fails to send, ensure clear line of sight to the sky and wait for One NZ SpaceX to appear on your network banner, then try again. Open spaces and moving away from foliage, large structures etc. can also help with this. RCS is also currently supported if you have this activated on your phone already.

The type of eligible phone you are using, where you are in New Zealand and whether a satellite is currently overhead will all have an impact on whether your TXT is sent or received and how long it takes.

At launch One NZ Satellite TXT will only work for sending and receiving TXT messages. Making 111 Emergency Calls will not be possible where you have no traditional cell-tower network coverage on any of the NZ mobile networks. If you need help, and you have an eligible phone and plan you will be able to send a TXT message to family, friends or colleagues for assistance.

If you are registered for this service with NZ Police and you have clear line of sight to the sky (with an eligible plan and phone) then yes, you can send a 111 TXT to the NZ Police 111 TXT service.

For more information on the NZ Police 111 TXT service visit this page:
111 TXT for hearing and speech difficulties | New Zealand Police

As long as you have a clear line of sight to the sky the weather should not affect how the service works, except for extreme weather events which may have some impact. If you are unsure whether your TXT has sent, look for the time stamp just like you would on your usual mobile network. If it shows an error message, please try to send the TXT again.

Whether you are trying to use One NZ's traditional cell-tower network or One NZ's satellite network, the availability of that mobile network or the services you can get on our mobile networks is never guaranteed. There could be temporary capability or technical issues that cause an impact on our mobile networks and as always we attempt to resolve these as quickly as possible.

The One NZ satellite network powered by Starlink provides coverage to the approximately 40% of New Zealand's landmass that has no traditional cell-tower coverage due to the tricky terrain and the length and geography of the country.

One NZ's satellite network is powered by Starlink and the One NZ Satellite TXT service is initially for sending and receiving TXT messages. Voice, basic data and IoT will follow as more satellites are launched.

If you have RCS activated on your phone already you should be able to send and receive messages. If you are using RCS to send a TXT and it fails, please try resending your TXT again as an SMS.

Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger make use of data so cannot be used to send a TXT with One NZ Satellite TXT when the service initially launches. We expect this will change if a data service becomes available in the future.

At this stage One NZ Satellite TXT is only available in NZ. We will have more details to share on roaming in other destinations in the future.

Keeping your TXT short will help, as sometimes the satellites only pass over for a short amount of time so a shorter TXT is more likely to send. We expect this to improve over time.

Yes, you can use One NZ Satellite TXT to send or receive a short code (like a verification pin from your bank), or a premium short code (like using a 4 digit number to donate to a charity). Please note in some instances a charge may apply, see One NZ Premium TXT.

One NZ Satellite TXT includes the ability to send a few emojis in your TXT. Pictures and TXTs with attachments will not send. The ability to send these and other MMS may follow at a later date.

Prepay and Travel SIM plans are not currently eligible plans and so customers on Prepay or using Travel SIMs cannot access One NZ Satellite TXT at this stage.

Phones purchased outside of New Zealand (including parallel imports) may not be compatible.

One NZ Satellite TXT only works on eligible phones at the moment, other devices will not be eligible initially but may be added in the future.

We are starting with a small range of eligible Samsung and Oppo phones and more information about eligible iPhones is coming soon.

Yes, as long as you have an eligible plan and phone.

We intend to use One NZ Satellite TXT to send emergency alerts to phones capable of receiving an emergency alert regardless of the provider. This service is not yet live, and we will provide further information on our website as the technology evolves.

It means that the phone One NZ is advertising with this icon has been tested and is eligible to use One NZ Satellite TXT.

No, this icon indicates that Apple's Emergency SOS via satellite feature is available.

It uses SpaceX's breakthrough Starlink Direct to Mobile satellite technology and One New Zealand's award-winning mobile network - independently tested by global leader in mobile testing, umlaut in April 2024. One New Zealand has dedicated part of its mid-band radio spectrum to enable the service, using 4G/LTE technology.

One NZ Satellite TXT is only available from One NZ and designed to work on your mobile phone. Starlink Broadband is a different service that uses a large Broadband dish located at your premises or on your vehicle to transmit to Starlink satellites.

Your use of One NZ Satellite TXT does not affect how we handle your personal information, which remains subject to our Privacy Policy.

To ensure all One NZ customers with an eligible plan and phone are able to access One NZ Satellite TXT, we may have to actively manage the capacity that the One NZ SpaceX satellite network can currently handle, and our Fair Use Policy will apply to your use of this service.

Initial beta TXT service rolling out on a limited number of eligible phones with an eligible plan. See one.nz/SpaceX. TXT only and requires line of sight to the sky. Service limitations, network performance, phone and plan eligibility will improve over time. Delivery times of TXT via satellite will be slower than traditional TXT. Terms, fair use and capacity management apply.