As deployed today the two needn't have any electronic connection although they do.

Eventually a MEOSAR is intended to use the accompanying navigation transmitter to send replies from ground SAR. Initially an acknowledgement ("We see your distress beacon" and by implication "somebody will try to help") and perhaps later more.

But that requires proof of concept and then newer beacons as today's beacons, even the ones with GPS (many rely on COSPAS SARSAT to triangulate their position itself) do not know such an acknowledgment might arrive or how to interpret it.