iPhone Roadside Assistance via Satellite is Now Available in the UK

Apple’s Roadside Assistance via Satellite feature for iPhones is now live in the United Kingdom, based on a recent update to Apple’s support documentation (via MacRumors)

Apple announced at its September iPhone 16 event that the feature would expand to the UK later in the year, and now it’s arrived.

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Roadside Assistance via Satellite allows iPhone users to contact road assistance services in areas where cellular or Wi-Fi is unavailable. To connect to a satellite (on an iPhone 14 or later, running iOS 17 or later), you’ll need to be outside and have a clear view of the sky and horizon. 

UK breakdown rescue service Green Flag has partnered with Apple to provide assistance to stranded motorists via the feature. The service is available on a pay-per-use basis for users who are not Green Flag members, although specific pricing details have not yet been announced. Apple’s satellite services, including Roadside Assistance, are free for the first two years with the purchase of a new iPhone 14 or later model.

Apple already offers Roadside Assistance via Satellite in the United States, thanks to partnerships with AAA and Verizon Roadside Assistance.

How To Request Roadside Assistance via Satellite in the Messages App

Here’s how to use the feature:

1. Open the Messages app and start a new message.
2. Type “roadside” into the address field. (When you’re off the grid with no mobile and Wi-Fi coverage, you’ll see the option to request Roadside Assistance via satellite.)
3. You’ll see a “Roadside Assistance” option appear.
4. Tap on Roadside Assistance.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to connect to a satellite and request assistance.

How To Request Roadside Assistance via Satellite Through Connection Assistant

To use Connection Assistant to access satellite features, you’ll need to have iOS 18 or later installed on your iPhone.

To use the feature, do one of the following:

Open Connection Assistant

1. Swipe down from the top right corner of your iPhone’s screen to open Control Center.
2. Tap the Mobile Data button on the right (it looks like an antenna giving off radio waves)
3. Tap Satellite.
4. Follow the onscreen instructions to connect to a satellite.
5. Choose Roadside Assistance to request help for your vehicle.

Please keep in mind that if you do have a cellular or Wi-Fi connection, the Satellite option will not appear. Tapping the Satellite button in Control Center will open the Satellite Connection Demo.

Things to Keep in Mind When Using Roadside Assistance via Satellite

• An iPhone 14 or later (any model) is required
• Your iPhone must have iOS 17 or later installed to connect to AAA for roadside assistance in the United States, or iOS 17.2 or later and a Verizon SIM installed in your iPhone to connect to Verizon for roadside assistance.
• In the United Kingdom, your iPhone 14 or later must have iOS 17 or later installed to connect to Green Flag for roadside assistance.
• You will need to be in a location that does not have mobile or Wi-Fi coverage.
• You will need to connect to a satellite with your iPhone
• You must have an active SIM installed in your iPhone.

Roadside Assistance via satellite is currently available only in the United States (including Puerto Rico) and the United Kingdom. Roadside service providers may not support all states or territories.

International travelers visiting the US or UK can use the feature while visiting as long as their iPhone has the necessary hardware; phones purchased in Armenia, Belarus, mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia lack satellite connectivity features.