Starlink Direct to Cell Satellite Cellular Communications To Start Working in Ukraine in 2025

Ukrainian mobile operator Kyivstar has signed an agreement with Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellite service Starlink to launch a cellular service using Starlink satellites, Reuters reports, citing a statement from VEON, the operator’s parent company.

Thanks to this cooperation, Ukraine will be one of the first countries to implement the Starlink Direct-to-Cell service, which will increase the resilience of the national telecommunications infrastructure. It is expected that in the fourth quarter of 2025, Kyivstar subscribers will be able to use satellite communications services for SMS and OTT messengers, with subsequent expansion to voice and internet services.

VEON Group CEO Kaan Terzioglu noted that Kyivstar has done a great job investing in 4G communications in Ukraine, expanding coverage in remote areas and increasing the energy resilience of its network.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. This spring, SpaceX reported successful testing of Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell support, using unmodified Samsung Galaxy, Apple iPhone, and Google Pixel phones.