First UK phones to get satellite connectivity in signal blackspots announced

Virgin Media O2 will be the first mobile operator to offer UK customers automatic satellite connections in areas without a phone signal.

O2 Satellite will be an additional service launching in the first half of 2026, following a partnership with Elon Musk's Starlink satellite business to offer the service.

The firm hasn't yet revealed how much it will cost, but there will be an additional fee every month.

Switched-on smartphones will automatically switch to satellite coverage in parts of the UK where there is no terrestrial signal, such as rural areas, but those who sign up won't be able to make phone calls via satellite from the start.

The service will only work with messaging, maps and location apps. O2 says this is because current Starlink satellites don't support calls, although the next generation will.

However, calls made through WhatsApp, which uses data rather than a phone signal, may work. O2 intends to trial this feature before the service becomes generally available.

According to Luke Pearce of CCS Insight analyst, the satellites will effectively act as “phone masts in the sky.”

“In today’s world, connectivity is no longer optional,” he said.

“Whether it’s emergency SOS calling in life-saving situations or keeping a software-defined car online, people now expect constant access.”

Software-defined vehicles can receive updates over the air to improve their performance and features, but this requires an Internet connection.

“Satellite communications are the only technology that can truly bridge the coverage gap between mountains, oceans and rural areas,” Mr Pearce added.

O2's decision comes months after rival Vodafone conducted a successful direct video call via satellite from a mountain in Wales where there was no other signal.

The company said it was a first for the service in the UK, but has not yet revealed any plans to offer satellite-to-device services to customers.

Vodafone Technologies worked with satellite firm AST, which currently has six satellites in orbit and plans to increase the number to 60 by the end of 2026.

Meanwhile, Starlink has more than 650 satellites and has already launched similar services with phone networks in other countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada and Japan.

In the UK, Ofcom changed its rules in September to allow satellite connections directly to smartphones.

Currently, it can only be used to send text messages to emergency services from newer iPhones and Android phones.

But the use of low-orbit satellites for mobile communications has come under criticism from astronomers, who say they pollute the night sky and make it difficult to detect potential hazards such as asteroids.