SpaceX has struck a major deal with telecom giant Deutsche Telekom to bring its direct-to-device satellite service, Starlink Mobile, to millions of users across Europe.
Announced this week at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the partnership will eliminate remaining cellular dead zones across parts of Europe by allowing standard smartphones to connect directly to the Starlink constellation.
Eliminating Gaps of Coverage
While Deutsche Telekom already boasts massive terrestrial network coverage - reaching nearly 90% of Germany’s geographic area with 5G and 99% with voice services - certain topographical challenges and nature conservation restrictions make building traditional cell towers impossible in some regions.
To plug these remaining few gaps, Starlink Mobile will act as an invisible safety net. When a compatible smartphone loses its terrestrial mobile signal, it will automatically switch over to Starlink's orbital network. This gives users seamless access to data, voice, video, and text messaging services, regardless of their location.
This hybrid approach will allow users to always have coverage, whether during a natural disaster, a prolonged power outage, or if they’re deep in the mountains.
First to Launch V2
Expected to roll out in early 2028, the partnership will support over 140 million subscribers across 10 European countries:
Germany
Austria
Poland
HungaryCzech Republic
Slovakia
Greece
Croatia
Montenegro
North Macedonia
This agreement also marks the first-of-its-kind deployment in Europe using Starlink’s next-generation V2 satellites. These new satellites operate on the dedicated Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) spectrum, delivering terrestrial-like 5G speeds directly to regular mobile phones, with no specialized hardware required.
At MWC, Stephanie Bednarek, VP of Starlink Sales, stated that this V2 technology will drastically expand bandwidth and capacity, delivering true broadband directly to mobile devices.
Starlink Mobile Grows
SpaceX is rebranding its direct-to-cell technology as Starlink Mobile and securing major carrier partnerships like Deutsche Telekom. SpaceX is proving that its satellite network is no longer just for remote, dish-based internet terminals. It is rapidly becoming the ultimate fallback backbone for global cellular connectivity and even the main connection for many homes.
Starlink recently crossed 10 million active subscribers, and that number is expected to continue to grow as users discover they now have more than one or two home internet options.
