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Ofcom has given the green light for mobile network operators to deliver ‘direct-to-device’ (D2D) satellite services to ordinary smartphones, clearing the regulatory pathway for calls, texts and data to be delivered from space across the UK.
The regulator’s final decisions authorise the use of mobile spectrum below 3 GHz for D2D links, with safety guards in place to prevent harmful interference with radar and air traffic control systems.
The regulator confirmed that individual consumers will not need a separate licence to receive satellite signals, a move designed to encourage mass-market adoption and help eliminate the UK’s patchwork of mobile notspots. Ofcom said the change could provide lifeline connectivity in remote areas without terrestrial coverage, and backup connectvity if traditional mobile networks suffer an outage.
Operators must, however, apply for a change to their existing licences before offering D2D services, and the framework includes technical and operational safeguards to limit cross-border interference with neighbouring countries’ networks. The framework aims to balance rapid deployment with protections for aviation and national-spectrum users.
Commercial partnerships focussed on D2D services are already well underway. Virgin Media O2 has signed with SpaceX’s Starlink as part of plans to begin rolling out messaging and data services by early 2026, while Vodafone has partnered with AST and has already demonstrated a satellite video call from an area without terrestrial coverage.
Exactly how these D2D partnerships will be monetised remains to be seen.
Ofcom’s group director for spectrum, David Willis, framed the initiative as opening new opportunities for rural communities and economic growth.
“Mobile operators are already pressing ahead to make the UK the first nation in Western Europe to have widespread access to this technology, which will see remote and rural areas be better connected than ever before, unlocking opportunities for communities, businesses and economic growth,” he said.
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