Spain is set to become the inaugural nation within the European Union to debut the Starlink Direct to Cell service, enabling satellite communication directly with standard smartphones, slated for launch this year.
The Spanish telecom provider, MasOrange, is scheduled to trial Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell offering, a result of a freshly inked pact with SpaceX. Approval for utilizing the radio spectrum allocated to MasOrange for the Starlink Direct-to-Cell technology has been granted by the Spanish regulatory body, the State Secretariat for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructures.
MasOrange intends to conduct a technical pilot program in the province of Valladolid, Spain. Details concerning the exact timeline for these trials and the specific list of compatible handsets remain undisclosed. The service is expected to allow users access to mobile internet for functioning with selected applications and messaging platforms. MasOrange has communicated that the Starlink Direct-to-Cell technology will serve to bolster their existing network, particularly in remote locales, mountainous regions, and coastal areas.
“We are enthusiastic to announce this collaboration with Starlink, which reaffirms our dedication to advancing innovation and our ongoing goal to furnish our clientele with superior services by leveraging every available technology,” stated Meinrad Spenger, CEO of MasOrange.
Previously, Kyivstar reported that since its launch in November 2025, the Starlink Direct to Cell services have been utilized by upwards of 3 million subscribers, facilitating the sending of over 1.2 million SMS messages.
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