The Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra, have recently passed through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certification process. The certification documents show that these smartphones feature satellite communication capabilities. This means that users can make voice calls, send and receive messages even when no cellular network is available nearby.
The Galaxy S26 series satellite communication capabilities are possible via Skylo, a leading NTN service provider that connects standard smartphones directly to existing satellites. Though this feature is likely limited to select countries or markets, like the US.
The US variants of the Galaxy S26 (FCC ID A3LSMS942U), Galaxy S26+ (FCC ID A3LSMS947U), and Galaxy S26 Ultra (FCC ID A3LSMS948U) have surfaced in the FCC database. These certifications are applicable to both carrier-locked and factory unlocked variants of the phones.
As contained in the documents, the 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.
Moreso, the phones support Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS is a regulatory framework defined by the FCC), and Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN is a technical standard established by the 3GPP). The technologies enable satellite operators to use terrestrial flexible-use spectrum to provide basic connectivity to smartphones, especially when no cellular network is within range.
Still according to the FCC documents, the Galaxy S26 series includes support for Bluetooth LE, NFC, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and wireless charging (WPT).
It’s expected that towards the end of February, Samsung will announce the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra. There’s the possibility that the phones will go up for pre-order on the same day in some markets. Notwithstanding, the general availability will follow in the second week of March.