Speaking from experience with One NZ’s version and watching the signal gauge on Apple CarPlay, I’ve never seen it above 2 bars

Mercury mobile use Spark mobile network. So will this automatically flow through to us users as well or will it depend upon intercompany agreements ?

Also, will all this interconnectivity be seamless, cell tower to satellite, without you really having to do anything or really know what connection the phone is using ?

My brother is DOC's volunteer hut minder and still has to stand radio watch at 1700 each day. He has just bought the Samsung S36 5G which does have satellite connectivity, so will it work in the bush ?

FineWine:

 

Mercury mobile use Spark mobile network. So will this automatically flow through to us users as well or will it depend upon intercompany agreements ?

 

Also, will all this interconnectivity be seamless, cell tower to satellite, without you really having to do anything or really know what connection the phone is using ?

 

My brother is DOC's volunteer hut minder and still has to stand radio watch at 1700 each day. He has just bought the Samsung S36 5G which does have satellite connectivity, so will it work in the bush ?

 

Doubt it as Spark’s cheaper plans, as well as Skinny, don’t offer the service.

chris021:

All stated apps worked VERY well. Voice on supported apps was great. Video calling on WhatsApp also worked, bit choppy but way better than expected. 

iMessage etc worked perfect. 

All in all, works much better than I expected. 

Worked ok with one bar. Worked great with 2. never found a 3rd bar. 

 

device - iPhone 17 pro. 

FineWine:

 

Mercury mobile use Spark mobile network. So will this automatically flow through to us users as well or will it depend upon intercompany agreements ?

 

It will not be available on Mercury Mobile - Note that unfortunately there is a quirk with (at least) Samsung Devices where it will say its available in the settings, but that is not the case. 

taneb1:

 

FineWine:

 

Mercury mobile use Spark mobile network. So will this automatically flow through to us users as well or will it depend upon intercompany agreements ?

 

 

It will not be available on Mercury Mobile - Note that unfortunately there is a quirk with (at least) Samsung Devices where it will say its available in the settings, but that is not the case. 

 

Sad. I will let my brother know. Thanks 

If you dont have the sat service, but find yourself in an unfortunate situation where you need it, is there a way to activate it when outside of civilization, or do you have to have it all the time despite not needing it, just to have it there if you do need it?

anyone on iphone (17) has any tips? i can't get satellite, it appears, unless i turn off all mobile services ... but that shouldn't be how it works? could i be handicapped by having 2 sim connections?

richms:

 

If you dont have the sat service, but find yourself in an unfortunate situation where you need it, is there a way to activate it when outside of civilization, or do you have to have it all the time despite not needing it, just to have it there if you do need it?

 

No.

Batman:

 

anyone on iphone (17) has any tips? i can't get satellite, it appears, unless i turn off all mobile services ... but that shouldn't be how it works? could i be handicapped by having 2 sim connections?

 

Batman:

 

anyone on iphone (17) has any tips? i can't get satellite, it appears, unless i turn off all mobile services ... but that shouldn't be how it works? could i be handicapped by having 2 sim connections?

 

Which mobile-services did you specifically disable ? Or was it when you disabled the other SIM ? Just trying to understand your scenario and will give it a go later - I believe only one SIM can also have satellite services enabled (need to check myself). 

Had the pleasure to use this on a trip to the coast via. Arthurs Pass today.

Curiously, Spark is re-using their legacy 530-02 network code - not the new one that they just had issued for them by the ITU a few months back. Further, just 5 MHz (of the total 15) appeared to be available. This meant data speeds were limited. Sending a very short "hello" iMessage took around 10 seconds.

I was forbidden from running a Speediest due to iOS restrictions, but did manage to clock up nearly 10 MB of Apple Music somehow, plus a little Facebook Messenger. Discord is not listed as a supported app by Spark, but does appear to be supported (listed in Settings, though I did not try it).

To my surprise, I was able to use the service from the passenger seat and even in a lower part of the compartments, despite not having a direct line of sight to the sky. We do have a glass sunroof, which may be helpful.

Oh and you do get a TXT saying the service is activated but it was maybe 5-10 minutes after initially being able to use the service.

boosacnoodle:

 

Batman:

 

anyone on iphone (17) has any tips? i can't get satellite, it appears, unless i turn off all mobile services ... but that shouldn't be how it works? could i be handicapped by having 2 sim connections?

 

Settings app > General > About. What is the carrier version?

 

is it 26.3.1 ?

gajan:

 

Batman:

 

anyone on iphone (17) has any tips? i can't get satellite, it appears, unless i turn off all mobile services ... but that shouldn't be how it works? could i be handicapped by having 2 sim connections?

 

 

Which mobile-services did you specifically disable ? Or was it when you disabled the other SIM ? Just trying to understand your scenario and will give it a go later - I believe only one SIM can also have satellite services enabled (need to check myself). 

 

i didn't disable anything. all it says is satellite unavailable.

iOS 26.4 is required for Spark. Please upgrade to that and try again after that.