Has anyone used satellite messaging to keep in touch with people in hurricane hit areas?

[zorinlynx]

Hurricane Helene has caused a lot of destruction and I'm sure there's people in the affected areas with no cellular coverage. Just wondering if anyone has friends and family you've kept in touch with using the new satellite messaging. This storm will probably be the first large scale real world test of this feature!

Either way I hope people in the affected area are staying safe.

 

[christian.terra]

I always wondered how someone receives messages through satellite. I understand sending when you have to point the phone at the sky to send the message, but if someone with no service has their phone in their pocket/not actively searching for satellite coverage, how do they receive a message or know when to search for satellite service?

I'm assuming the sender has service, so will the satellite service know where the pull the message from if it was sent through regular iMessage?

 

[zorinlynx]

From what I heard, you have to start a conversation via satellite, then the replies will be delivered via satellite.

That said, part of my reason for making this post is I'm curious how it works in the real world.