Yes, Your Android Phone Can Still Send Messages Without A Cell Signal: Here's How

Messaging is still one of the best ways to communicate with your friends and family. To send an SMS, all you need is a SIM card with an active messaging plan installed on your smartphone. But what if you're in a remote location where there is no cell signal? In such a situation, it doesn't matter how expensive your smartphone is or which network provider you're using; you'll have a hard time contacting your loved ones. But if you know about satellite messaging and the RCS feature, then you can use either of these services to send messages to your loved ones without even a cell signal.

RCS stands for Rich Communication Services, and it has many benefits, but the one that will be helpful in locations with no cell signal is its ability to send text messages using Wi-Fi. On the other hand, the satellite messaging feature allows your Android smartphone to link up with a satellite in emergency scenarios and reach out to emergency services through text messages. So, let's check out in detail how you can use both these features to send messages even in situations where you don't have a cell signal.

Before we tell you how to use the satellite messaging feature, you need to be aware of a few of its limitations. At the time of writing, the feature is currently available on the Google Pixel 9 series and the Samsung Galaxy S25 series. While on the Pixel 9 series, you can use the service irrespective of your network provider; on the S25 series, the service only works for users with Verizon and T-Mobile as their network providers.

That said, to use the satellite messaging feature on your Google Pixel 9 series, first make sure that Google Messages is set as the default messaging app. Then, follow these steps:

1. Open the call dialer and dial the emergency service line for your area. For instance, if you live in the US, you need to dial 911.
2. Select the Satellite SOS option.
3. Choose Use Satellite SOS, and then Start.

After that, follow the on-screen instructions to reach out to the emergency services via text message. Similarly, you can use the satellite SOS feature on the Samsung S25 series as well. Simply dial the emergency service line from your S25 series smartphone, and if there is no network coverage in your area, you will get the option to use satellite SOS. Select this option and then follow the on-screen instructions to reach out to emergency services through text message.

If you're in an area with no cellular network but have access to Wi-Fi, then you can use RCS messaging to send text messages to your loved ones. However, to use this feature, you must have Google Messages set as the default messaging app on your Android smartphone and also have the RCS feature enabled. To enable RCS on your Android device, follow these steps:

1. Open the Google Messages app, tap the profile icon in the top-right corner, and choose Messages settings.
2. Select General, and then RCS Chats.
3. Enable the toggle next to Turn on RCS Chats.

And that's about it. You will now be able to send text messages even without a cellular network. The only difference will be that instead of seeing the Send by SMS prompt when the message is sent, you will see the Send by WiFi prompt.