Virgin Media O2 launches O2 Satellite enabling direct smartphone-to-satellite connectivity in UK
Updated
Updated · Ookla · Apr 28
Virgin Media O2 launches O2 Satellite enabling direct smartphone-to-satellite connectivity in UK
15 articles · Updated · Ookla · Apr 28
The service, launched on February 26, 2026, uses SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile constellation and is priced at £3 per month or free on Ultimate tariffs.
By March 2026, the UK ranked third globally for detected direct-to-device users, with 0.30% of UK mobile users utilizing the service, mainly in rural and coverage gap regions.
Ofcom’s early regulatory framework enabled the UK’s first-mover status in Western Europe, with VodafoneThree and BT/EE preparing competing or complementary satellite offerings as the market evolves toward broader device support and cross-border harmonization.
How did UK regulators clear the path for satellite-to-phone services years ahead of the rest of Europe?
With rivals racing into satellite service, why is Britain's biggest mobile network betting against direct-to-phone technology?
With only 0.3% of customers signing up, is the £3 monthly fee for satellite texting a sign of confidence or a failing bet?
As satellites erase the UK's last signal 'not-spots,' is the truly disconnected rural escape becoming extinct?
O2 offers messaging now, but a rival promises voice calls soon. Can SpaceX's technology catch up before it's too late?