The absence of a cellular signal is one of the main obstacles to getting assistance in a remote location. As long as you can find a way to notify them and provide your location, roadside assistance providers will gladly assist you (for the appropriate fee).
The most recent iPhone generations are helpful in this situation. The satellite roadside assistance feature, which is included with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15, lets you get in touch with roadside assistance dispatchers even when you don’t have a cellular signal.The way this feature operates is that your phone connects to a satellite and sends vital information to the call center, including the problem with your car. In the US, Apple and AAA teamed to provide satellite roadside assistance, which is available to both non-members of AAA and members of the organization.
Apple and Verizon have now teamed up to increase the service’s reach in the US. Owners of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 who use a Verizon SIM card to initiate satellite roadside assistance will be linked to the Signature Motor Club by taking the same procedures as AAA. There is a multi-step wizard in the connection that will assist you in setting up the initial dialogue with the dispatcher.
Verizon provides Roadside Assistance for $4.99 per line. The plan includes tire changes, fuel delivery, battery jumpstarts, car lockout services, and towing up to 10 miles within a coverage area (though this wouldn’t apply if you were contacting dispatchers from the middle of the jungle via satellite connection).
First things first: if you’ve never used satellite roadside assistance before, you should be aware that in places without cellular service, you’ll need an iPhone 14 or 15. Open the Messages app and start typing a New Message as the first step. If you meet the requirements, you will see a suggestion for “Roadside Assistance via Satellite” after you enter “Roadside” in the contact field. To connect to a call center where you can chat with a dispatcher and request assistance, you’ll be guided through the remaining steps by a wizard.
Nevertheless, Apple has not yet disclosed any information regarding the service’s possible international expansion, so it is only accessible in the US. For Verizon users to receive roadside assistance when their cellular signal goes out, they must be running at least iOS 17.2.
After activating an iPhone 14 or iPhone 15, customers in the US can enjoy free satellite connectivity for two years. Both subscribers and non-subscribers can get roadside assistance, though the latter will have to pay high costs for assistance in the middle of nowhere.
