• With its regulatory approval in the bag, Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has become the first UK operator to launch a satellite-enabled direct-to-device (D2D) service
• O2 Satellite, which uses Starlink satellite connectivity, will cost an extra £3 per month 
• The operator has beaten rival VodafoneThree to the punch
• But the service does not cover the whole of the UK

Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has become the first UK operator to launch a satellite-enabled direct-to-device (D2D) service with the commercial launch of its O2 Satellite service, beating domestic rival VodafoneThree to the punch. 

The UK operator announced a partnership with low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite operator Starlink last year and then received approval for a variation to its licence from UK regulator Ofcom earlier this month. VodafoneThree, which will have LEO operator AST SpaceMobile as its satellite partner, is not due to launch its service until later this year while BT currently doesn’t see any reason to launch D2D services in the UK. 

VMO2 says the service, which is available as a £3-per-month bolt-on service and which enables text messaging and the use of some low data rate applications, such as WhatsApp and Google Maps, will enable customers to “stay connected in areas with no traditional mobile coverage, known as ‘not-spots’.” Customers that sign up will connect automatically to O2 satellite when traditional cellular coverage is unavailable. 

But the service won’t cover every UK blade of grass: VMO2 notes that launching the service “boosts Virgin Media O2’s UK landmass coverage from 89% to 95%”. 

That, according to CCS Insight analyst Luke Pearce, is because Starlink’s current orbital configuration doesn’t enable coverage in the far north of Scotland and parts of the Highlands, “areas where enhanced connectivity is arguably needed most,” he noted in an email shared with the media. 

The service is initially available to customers with the latest Samsung smartphones (Samsung Galaxy S25, Samsung Galaxy S25+, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge), with support for other devices and manufacturers to be introduced soon. 

Lutz Schüler, CEO of Virgin Media O2, said: “This is a defining moment for UK mobile connectivity and a statement of our intent to keep innovating and ensure our customers can stay connected no matter where they are.” 

Unless they’re in the far north of Scotland or parts of the Highlands….

VMO2 is also claiming to be the first operator in Europe to launch a D2D service, but that’s not accurate as Veon’s Kyivstar launched its service in Ukraine last year.  

But it’s certainly the first in the UK and CCS Insight’s Pearce believes the launch represents “a genuine step forward in mobile connectivity. By leveraging satellite-to-smartphone technology, it has the potential to meaningfully extend coverage and significantly reduce persistent signal not-spots across the UK.”

But there are question marks over just how many customers might pay for such a service. Pearce noted: “Virgin Media O2 will naturally be looking at the revenue opportunity this creates. However, CCS Insight’s consumer research indicates that only 28% of respondents would pay £2 or more for basic satellite connectivity, meaning only a relatively small proportion of customers are willing to pay a premium for satellite connectivity.”

- Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV