- VodafoneThree is the latest operator to be given permission to use satellite technology to cover non-spot points
- O2 has already granted EE permission to work with Starlink
- Phone rules need to be updated, as well as operator licenses.
Ofcom has confirmed that it has approved an application from VodafoneThree to amend one of the spectrum licenses it holds, which would mean it can provide “direct-to-device” satellite connectivity to mobile phones.
The newly merged companies could provide calls, texts and data to standard smartphones in the UK, making it much more like regular cellular service than Apple’s satellite-based SOS features.
Satellite connectivity would play an important role in closing gaps in current infrastructure, providing signal where there is none.
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VodafoneThree gets approval to use satellites
VodafoneThree is not the only company to have been granted such permission: O2 also received the green light in early 2026.
“With the launch of O2 Satellite, we have become the first operator in Europe to launch a space-based mobile data service which, overnight, has brought new mobile coverage to an area around two-thirds the size of Wales for the first time,” boasted VMO2 CEO Lutz Schuler as the company launched satellite connections for some of the first compatible Samsung devices.
However, there could be more at stake before satellite connectivity becomes commonplace. Ofcom said that while granting operator licenses is something it has done twice this year, it also needs to amend its mobile phone regulations following a public consultation over the next month.
In the United States, T-Mobile has already launched a satellite-to-cell service for an additional $10 monthly fee.
As for the UK’s other major operator, EE announced a partnership with Starling in late 2025 to address so-called “no points” across the UK from the second half of 2026.
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