However, there is a fallback, which surprisingly most people don't know about: You can actually text on an Android phone even without cell service. You can take advantage of an obscure feature on Android phones that allows you to use satellite messaging to send messages without an active cell connection. Learning how to use satellite services on your Google Pixel phone or any supported device is always a good idea when you first get it. Moreover, the Pixel 9's satellite function is compatible with all network providers, while the Galaxy S25 only works on Verizon and T-Mobile networks. To send text messages via satellite you first need to enable the feature, and here's how to get that all set up.