of SpaceX Can now operate in New Zealand, . The New Zealand-based provider says it's the first time a nationwide satellite text messaging service has been supported by Starlink. T-Mobile about getting it, but it looks like One NZ beat it to the punch.

What's in it for New Zealanders? It is a country with many rural areas resulting in a weak or no signal. It should be a playground even for people who don't live near big cities.

Now on to the caveats, and there are a few big ones. Starlink messages are quite slow compared to traditional methods. One NZ says most messages should be sent and received within three minutes on initial rollout, but admits that could increase to "10 minutes or more". It is for this reason that the company continues to urge people to carry a personal locator beacon when traveling to a remote area.

Service too this includes Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and OPPO Find X8 Pro. The list of these compatible devices is expected to grow next year. The company also intends to expand the service to include voice calling and data.

The satellite service is free to existing One NZ customers on pay-monthly plans, but we don't know the pricing scheme for new customers or customers signed up for other contract types. Starlink has partnered with other telcos to bring comprehensive coverage to Japan, Peru, Switzerland and Chile. As mentioned earlier, this too Doing something similar in the US.