Summary
Virgin Media O2 plans to launch a service in the UK that lets phones use satellite connections where mobile signals are weak. This service, expected in early 2026, will initially support messaging and location services but not phone calls.
Key Facts
- Virgin Media O2 is the first UK company to offer satellite connections for mobile phone users with no network signal.
- The service, called O2 Satellite, is scheduled to start in the first half of 2026.
- It will work in areas without a terrestrial signal, like rural regions.
- Initially, the service will support messaging and maps but not traditional phone calls.
- O2 partnered with Elon Musk's Starlink, which provides the satellites for this service.
- WhatsApp calls, which use internet data, might work with the new service.
- The UK regulator Ofcom changed rules in September to allow satellite connections to smartphones.
- Starlink has previously launched similar services in countries like the US and Australia.
