Satellites in Musk’s Starlink constellation, equipped with modems that function like cellphone towers, will beam signals from space to handsets. Earlier this year Starlink launched its first satellites equipped with such modems and now more than 300 of Starlink’s 6,894 satellites are reported to be direct-to-cell capable.
A messaging service is expected to start in Q4 2025 with voice and data capability to be added later.
As well as Ukraine, Musk has signed deals with the US, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Canada, Peru and Chile.
In the UK, Ofcom is developing a new authorisation regime for such services, with initial proposals expected in early 2025.
Starlink has been providing military comms services to Ukraine since 2022 giving it 10,000 Starlink terminals in the first year of the war and providing communications services for free. The Russians are active in efforts to jam the signals.
A direct-to-cell service will give the Ukrainians a way of avoiding Russian cyberattacks on their telecoms services
Musk and President-Elect Trump spoke to President Zelensky in December when Musk promised more terminals for Ukraine. With Musk close to the incoming administration the new service is being seen as acpositive indication of continued US government support for Ukraine.
.
