VMO2, Telefónica's subsidiary, partners with Elon Musk's satellites in the UK

VMO2, Telefónica's UK subsidiary, has signed an agreement with Starlink to supplement mobile coverage in remote areas. The new service, which will use part of O2's spectrum, will allow the mobile operator to reach 95% population coverage.

Virgin Media O2, the British telecom company that is 50% owned by Telefónica and Liberty Global, today announced a multi-year agreement with Starlink Direct to Cell, the direct mobile connection service of the Starlink constellation - owned by SpaceX, Elon Musk 's satellite launch company - to improve rural mobile network coverage and, consequently, enhance the customer experience.

To provide this service, Starlink will use a portion of O2's licensed mobile spectrum . Thus, O2, Virgin Media's mobile operator, is the first UK operator to use Starlink services—which boasts the world's largest satellite-to-mobile constellation with over 650 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO)—to deliver connectivity directly to mobile devices on the O2 network.

The new product, to be called O2 Satellite, will initially offer messaging and data services, and later upgrades and applications across a wide range of phones. Application support will expand over time, focusing on the most popular apps, primarily messaging, maps, and location services ( Find My Location ).

O2 Satellite , powered by Starlink satellite connectivity, will allow customers to use their phones in more rural areas. This will give them peace of mind knowing they can stay connected while traveling or engaging in activities such as hiking, camping, or sailing in coastal areas, building on Virgin Media O2 's contribution to the industry's 'Shared Rural Network' rollout, a common network deployed jointly by the UK's major mobile operators at the government's behest.

The O2 Satellite service will complement O2's existing mobile network and will automatically operate in areas without traditional mobile coverage, known as 'not spots', with the aim of expanding Virgin Media O2 's terrestrial coverage in the UK to over 95% within 12 months of launch. This coverage will increase further as next-generation Starlink satellites are deployed, along with new improvements in performance, app usage, and expanded use cases.

The company is currently conducting internal pilot tests of the satellite-enabled service, and the rollout to the customer is planned for early 2026, at which time more details about the proposal and pricing will also be revealed.

Lutz Schüler, CEO of Virgin Media O2 , said, “This UK agreement is another example of Virgin Media O2 ’s innovation to deliver a better experience and peace of mind to our customers, in addition to the £700 million we are already investing in our mobile network this year. Starlink is a clear leader in this area, operating the world’s most advanced satellite constellation, making it the right partner to complement our existing coverage and support Virgin Media O2 ’s ambition to deliver reliable mobile connectivity across the UK.”

Minister for Telecommunications Liz Lloyd explained that "this partnership demonstrates exactly how private sector innovation can deliver real benefits for people across the UK, supporting our mission to drive growth and ensure no community is left behind. Whether you have a farm in Cumbria or are hiking in the Cairngorms, you'll soon have the peace of mind that comes with reliable coverage."

Last year, Virgin Media O2 announced it was using Starlink satellite technology to provide mobile backhaul (the connection from towers to backbone networks) for some of the country's most remote locations in order to accelerate the rollout of its Shared Rural Network (SRN). This was done using Starlink's broadband satellites , a separate constellation from Direct to Cell.