When a hiker is stranded in a remote mountain pass without cellular coverage, or when a medical team in a rural clinic tries to coordinate emergency services, the ability to send a single text message can be the difference between well-being and peril. Today, as over 2.9 billion people worldwide remain offline according to estimates by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the need for universal connectivity has taken on a renewed urgency. In recent years, technology leaders have turned their attention skyward, using satellites to close these gaps and extend reliable coverage to every corner of the planet. At the forefront of this effort is Google’s satellite messaging system, an initiative aimed at ensuring that individuals, no matter where they are, can communicate for both everyday interactions and urgent situations.
This project seeks to integrate satellite functionality seamlessly into Android devices, which already hold a significant share of the global mobile market. While Apple’s Emergency SOS over satellite has captured public attention by offering emergency texting in dead zones, Google’s ambition goes further. It aims to provide not only life-saving connectivity when no cell tower is in sight, but also day-to-day messaging and, in the long run, voice calls via satellite links.
Yet building satellite-based messaging is a formidable challenge. Conventional mobile phone networks rely on ground-based towers that handle data and voice signals over relatively short distances. Satellite communication must traverse vast expanses, traveling from handheld devices all the way to a constellation of satellites orbiting thousands of kilometers above Earth. Satellite coverage is also subject to more variables than terrestrial networks, including atmospheric conditions, the movement and alignment of orbiting craft, and the advanced encryption and regulatory standards that ensure global interoperability.
In the middle of these complexities stands Krupal Shah, a test engineer and satellite communication specialist whose work has proven pivotal in turning satellite messaging vision into a functional reality. By systematically evaluating everything from device hardware performance to the intricacies of data transmission, Shah strives to ensure that a user who has no bars of conventional service can still send a message that reliably and quickly reaches its destination.
“It’s not enough to add satellite functionality and assume it will work in high-stakes situations,” Shah says. “When someone’s life might hang on a single text, every part of the system must be rock-solid. That’s where our testing and validation efforts come in.”
Shah’s role involves creating validation plans for emerging technologies like LTE-NTN and NR-NTN, both of which are governed by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) standards that unify mobile communications worldwide. Through these plans, every part of the end-to-end link is scrutinized: from sending a text in a barren desert, to receiving that text in a bustling city, to ensuring that the satellite in low-Earth or geostationary orbit can facilitate the exchange.
During early trials, his teams noticed a recurring problem: messages sent via satellite often arrived out of sequence. A user might receive the second or third message before the first one, making it nearly impossible to hold a coherent conversation. If this happened in an emergency, where clarity and immediacy are paramount, the confusion could be disastrous. Shah’s discovery prompted significant design changes. By adjusting the handling of timestamps, packet acknowledgments, and queueing strategies, Google’s product teams were able to ensure that each message consistently arrived in the correct order.
Shah’s investigations also revealed user-interface pitfalls. In one test, certain Android devices would display a signal bar even when they were still in the middle of establishing a satellite link. Naturally, many test participants tried to send messages as soon as they saw a bar, only to have the texts fail when the satellite link was not truly active. This glitch, Shah warned, could create false hope in an emergency. After he alerted Google’s developers, they overhauled the connectivity algorithms and refined the user interface. The result was a major drop in failures, from around 80% to just 10%, in preliminary field tests.
Bringing satellite texting to widespread use is not just about debugging software or calibrating antennas. It also involves forging partnerships across the communications landscape. Google has begun coordinating with organizations like SpaceX, which has launched massive fleets of Starlink satellites, and T-Mobile, which sees satellite coverage as an extension of its terrestrial network. Shah regularly collaborates with engineers and product leads from different companies, aligning satellite payload capabilities, frequency bands, and system handover processes to achieve a seamless user experience.
“This kind of collaboration between major providers used to be unthinkable,” Shah explains. “But when we talk about satellite messaging, especially for emergencies, everyone recognizes the significance of working together. The ultimate goal is that no matter which device or network you rely on, you can always reach out when it matters.”
In communities that are either too remote for traditional towers or financially limited in building communications infrastructure, satellite connectivity could radically change daily routines. Picture a rural school in a mountainous area where students can now access online learning resources, or a village leader in a desert region who no longer needs to travel for miles just to make a phone call. Humanitarian organizations also gain a potent tool for coordinating relief efforts when hurricanes, earthquakes, or floods disrupt ground-based networks.
These gains go hand-in-hand with wider global goals. Access to information technology is recognized as an enabler of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), including those focused on healthcare, education, and reducing inequalities. By helping to build a pathway for reliable voice and data services in places that were once considered unreachable, satellite messaging aligns with the aspiration that everyone, regardless of their location, should have a fair shot at participating in the digital age.
Still, critics worry about the cost of satellites and advanced phones. For widespread adoption, devices must integrate satellite components at minimal extra expense, and data plans must remain affordable even for low-income users. Further, the industry must ensure that the environmental impact of rocket launches and satellite disposal is kept under control. Google and its partners say they are mindful of these challenges, pledging to streamline hardware, adopt more sustainable launch methods, and eventually reduce subscription costs through economies of scale.
“At the start, it might feel like a specialized feature, something for people who climb Mount Everest or for rescue teams,” Shah observes. “But our long-term vision is that any Android phone sold in stores might come with a satellite link that just works. We want parents who live on the edge of coverage to feel that same security, or families in rural regions to connect without added obstacles.”
A key element of Shah’s contribution is the automation of log analysis, a task that, when done manually, can eat up hundreds of engineering hours. Satellite logs differ from conventional terrestrial logs in that they can span wide time frames and incorporate data from separate orbits. Automating their analysis helps Google spot anomalies, measure performance metrics, and roll out firmware updates more quickly. This acceleration means any lingering defects can be resolved in a tighter timeline, expediting the path from prototype to polished product.
Beyond the engineering details, the larger story is one of driving social transformation through technology. By shrinking the digital divide, communities that have long been without a reliable signal can use online services to improve health, education, and livelihoods. Disaster response stands to become more efficient, as emergency teams will no longer rely solely on compromised ground networks. Even tourism might see a boost, since adventurers and travelers can explore new places with the confidence that they can reach help if needed.
Throughout these efforts, Shah underscores that the focus must never drift from reliability: if a satellite-based system collapses exactly when it’s needed, it undermines trust and can risk lives. His approach rests on establishing processes where every step, from lab testing under simulated satellite orbits to on-site field evaluations in national parks, deserts, and mountain ranges, serves to confirm that actual usage will mirror the best-case tests. The lessons learned from iterative refinements become building blocks for the next features.
Google has already taken bold steps. Its team has integrated new code into Android 15, the upcoming software version that aims to unify satellite messaging protocols, user interfaces, and emergency call features. Early testers note that the interface guides users step-by-step, indicating precisely when the link is connecting and how to hold the device if a satellite fix is spotty. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, improvements in encryption, compression, and frequency allocation are helping messages travel from the device to the satellite network and back in near real time.
Looking to the horizon, Shah and his colleagues talk about the possibility of satellite voice calling. This would mean that a phone in the middle of the ocean or on the peak of a distant mountain range could still place a clear audio call, no specialized satellite phone required. The requirement for this next leap is better coordination between phone manufacturers, regulatory bodies in multiple countries, and owners of satellite constellations. Nobody expects it to be simple, but the goal is to raise the baseline for communication so that coverage blind spots become a relic of the past.
“Today, we’re addressing out-of-service text messaging,” Shah says. “Tomorrow, we want real-time voice calls that give people anywhere on Earth the ability to speak to loved ones or get urgent assistance. It’s about bringing universal coverage within reach, not just for professionals or well-funded expeditions, but for everyone.”
The implications of these technological strides go far beyond phone sales or market share. They represent a crucial shift in how society perceives connectivity. It is no longer a luxury or an optional add-on; many consider it an essential service. By tackling complex engineering hurdles and establishing relationships across the telecommunications spectrum, Google is signaling that the satellite-driven era of connectivity could become mainstream sooner than most people anticipated.
Shah’s story exemplifies the broader community impact of this new satellite frontier. Each software patch he helps develop, each testing protocol he refines, and each bug he identifies is another step toward a world where coverage dead zones don’t prevent someone from making a distress call or simply staying in touch with family. His work blends technological prowess with a vision of public safety and inclusivity.
As the global digital landscape continues to evolve, the promise of satellite connectivity is set to reshape how people connect. With industry-wide collaborations, approvals from regulators, and public demand for universal coverage, the stage is set for satellite-based messaging, and eventually voice calling, to become as commonplace as checking social media on a smartphone. When that day arrives, it won’t just mark a milestone for cutting-edge technology. It will stand as a testament to individuals like Krupal Shah, whose behind-the-scenes determination ensures that no matter where one might be, on a high-altitude trek, in a remote village, or navigating the seas, reliable communication is always within reach.
