Check if your smartphone can use satellite internet in the UK today
Key Points
- Satellite internet is now officially available to mobile users in the United Kingdom through O2 Satellite.
- O2 Satellite is available to all customers as a £3-per-month flexible bolt-on, and it is free for Ultimate Plan subscribers.
- The service is currently only supported by specific Samsung handsets, although more devices are expected to be supported soon.
- Mobile data connectivity is delivered by O2 Satellite, but the service does not offer cellular calls or SMS.
Satellite internet is officially live in the United Kingdom, although for now it is only available from one provider and supported by specific smartphones.
Virgin Media O2 has officially launched the O2 Satellite service, which leverages Starlink’s satellite constellation to provide mobile data connectivity to its customers in the UK.
It provides connectivity to end-users over 1800 MHz spectrum and went live on 26 February 2026, after it was granted the UK’s first direct-to-device licence variation by Ofcom.
O2 Satellite is available to all customers of the mobile network for £3 per month as a flexible bolt-on to their existing package, and it is included free for Ultimate Plan customers.
The satellite connectivity offering sits alongside O2’s main network, providing customers with coverage in mobile “blackspots”, areas where there was previously no connectivity.
The transition is seamless: when customers with O2 Satellite active enter these deadspots, their device will automatically connect to the satellite constellation.
It is important to note, however, that while O2 Satellite supports mobile data connectivity, it does not support text messaging or cellular calls.
O2 Satellite does not require specialised hardware or applications. It works with standard modern smartphones, although for now it has only rolled out to a range of supported Samsung devices.
Below is the full range of supported devices that are compatible with O2 Satellite:
- Samsung Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, S25 Ultra, and S25 Edge
- Samsung Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, Z Flip7, and Z Flip7 FE
O2 said it is working to add support for as many phones as possible, and encouraged users to check its website for updates when new smartphones are supported.
VodafoneThree satellite connectivity on the way
If your smartphone is not one of those currently supported by O2 Satellite or you are not a Virgin Media O2 customer, you might still be able to enjoy satellite internet soon.
VodafoneThree has followed closely behind Virgin Media O2 in applying for a licence to provide direct-to-device satellite connectivity to users in the UK.
Ofcom granted VodafoneThree its licence variation last month, paving the way for the mobile provider to begin trials of its satellite data service in summer 2026.
Unlike O2 Satellite, VodafoneThree will not be using Starlink for satellite connectivity. Instead, it is leveraging AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellites through the Satellite Connect Europe joint venture.
Additionally, VodafoneThree’s satellite service aims to support cellular calls and SMS in addition to mobile, unlike O2 Satellite, which only supports data connectivity.
