Galaxy S26 confirmed to feature satellite communication

Samsung’s upcoming high-end smartphones, the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra, have recently passed through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certification process. The certification documents reveal that these devices feature satellite communication capabilities, potentially allowing users to send and receive messages even when no cellular network is available nearby.

The US variants of the Galaxy S26 (FCC ID A3LSMS942U), Galaxy S26+ (FCC ID A3LSMS947U), and Galaxy S26 Ultra (FCC ID A3LSMS948U) have been spotted in the FCC database. These certifications are applicable to both carrier-locked and factory unlocked variants of the phones.

The documents reveal that all three devices use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (for Galaxy) chip and are compatible with 2G (GSM), 3G (WCDMA), 4G (LTE), and 5G NR (mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G) cellular networks.

In addition, the phones support Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS), and Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN). SCS is a regulatory framework defined by the FCC, while NTN is a technical standard established by the 3GPP. Together, these technologies allow satellite operators to use terrestrial flexible-use spectrum to provide basic connectivity to smartphones when no cellular network is within range.

The Galaxy S26 series is expected to use satellite calling and messaging via Skylo, a leading NTN service provider that connects standard smartphones directly to existing satellites. However, this feature may be limited to select markets, such as the US.

The FCC documents also confirm that the Galaxy S26 series includes support for Bluetooth LE, NFC, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and wireless charging (WPT).

Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra in the last week of February 2026. The phones could go up for pre-order on the same day in select markets, with general availability beginning in the second week of March 2026.