Virgin Media O2 will become the first UK mobile operator to provide automatic satellite connectivity for phones in areas with no terrestrial signal. Branded O2 Satellite and launched in partnership with Elon Musk’s Starlink, the optional service is due to arrive in the first half of 2026.
The company has not disclosed pricing, but says the feature will carry an extra monthly fee. Compatible smartphones will switch over to satellite coverage automatically when they cannot connect to conventional masts, helping users stay connected in remote and rural locations.
At launch the service will be limited to data-based functions — messaging, maps and location apps — because Starlink’s current satellite network does not support traditional voice calls. O2 notes that apps using internet data, such as WhatsApp, may be able to handle voice calls over the satellite link; the operator plans to trial such use before the public rollout.
Analysts say the move reflects growing demand for continuous connectivity. Luke Pearce of CCS Insight described satellites as acting like “phone masts in the sky,” and argued that satellite links are the only realistic way to close coverage gaps across mountains, oceans and isolated countryside. He also highlighted uses such as emergency SOS services and internet access for software-defined vehicles that require regular over-the-air updates.
O2’s announcement follows activity by rivals. Vodafone demonstrated a live satellite video call from a signal-free mountain location in the UK earlier this year using AST’s satellite network, though Vodafone has not outlined a customer rollout. AST currently has a small constellation and aims to expand significantly over the next year, while Starlink already operates hundreds of low-earth orbit satellites and has launched similar phone-network partnerships in countries including Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada and Japan.
Regulatory change in the UK has helped enable direct satellite-to-phone connections: Ofcom updated rules in September to allow such services. Today, satellite links on some newer iPhone and Android models are restricted to emergency text messaging, but the regulatory shift clears a path for broader commercial use.
The expansion of low-earth orbit constellations has drawn criticism from astronomers, who say the growing number of satellites brightens and clutters the night sky and can hinder observations and the detection of near-Earth hazards.
O2 has positioned the service as a way to ensure basic connectivity where cell towers cannot reach, while acknowledging limitations at launch. Customers interested in the feature will need a compatible handset and to opt into the paid service when it becomes available next year.