"This conversation is not available via satellite."

[Pitamakan]

I've been running the iOS 18 RC for the last week or so, and experimenting with satellite text messaging. I've been able to successfully send satellite texts to several contacts -- but it's not working for only one particular person. When I establish a satellite connection and go to that person's message thread, I don't have the ability to type a message, and there's a note at the bottom of the thread saying, "This conversation is not available via satellite."

Anyone have any ideas of what's going on, or what a fix might be? The recipient is a long-time contact with an iPhone 14 Pro Max. I did unsuccessfully try sending this person a satellite text with earlier dev builds, and I'm wondering if that's the issue, but I did that with other contacts as well and now satellite texts are working fine for them.

I'd rather not risk deleting the existing text tread with that person if possible. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[angel_negron]

I've been running the iOS 18 RC for the last week or so, and experimenting with satellite text messaging. I've been able to successfully send satellite texts to several contacts -- but it's not working for only one particular person. When I establish a satellite connection and go to that person's message thread, I don't have the ability to type a message, and there's a note at the bottom of the thread saying, "This conversation is not available via satellite."

Anyone have any ideas of what's going on, or what a fix might be? The recipient is a long-time contact with an iPhone 14 Pro Max. I did unsuccessfully try sending this person a satellite text with earlier dev builds, and I'm wondering if that's the issue, but I did that with other contacts as well and now satellite texts are working fine for them.

I'd rather not risk deleting the existing text tread with that person if possible. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I'm assuming this might the issue.

"Encourage your contacts to update their iPhone — To receive iMessages via satellite, your contact needs to have iOS 18 or later. To reply to SMS messages via satellite, your contact needs to have iOS 17.6 or later or a non-Apple device."

About Messages via satellite on your iPhone - Apple Support

With iPhone 14 or later, you can send iMessages or SMS messages via satellite when you’re off the grid with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.

support.apple.com

 

[Pitamakan]

I'm assuming this might the issue.

"Encourage your contacts to update their iPhone — To receive iMessages via satellite, your contact needs to have iOS 18 or later. To reply to SMS messages via satellite, your contact needs to have iOS 17.6 or later or a non-Apple device."

About Messages via satellite on your iPhone - Apple Support

With iPhone 14 or later, you can send iMessages or SMS messages via satellite when you’re off the grid with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.

support.apple.com

Thanks. I was wondering about that, so I tried sending a satellite text to someone who I knew was still running iOS 17 on an iPhone 12 ... and it worked! So at the very least, there are some inconsistencies in the way Apple is handling this.