Virgin Media offers satellite connectivity to end mobile blackspots

Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) is set to become the first UK mobile network operator to offer its customers automatic connectivity via satellite, aiming to eliminate persistent mobile signal blackspots across the country.

The company has announced a new partnership with Elon Musk’s Starlink to launch an optional service, O2 Satellite, in the first half of 2026.

The initiative leverages Starlink’s vast constellation of over 650 low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites, effectively turning them into “phone masts in the sky” to provide coverage in remote and rural areas where terrestrial signals fail.

VMO2 hopes this launch will significantly boost its coverage, targeting more than 95% UK landmass coverage within 12 months of the service going live.

Lutz Schüler, CEO of Virgin Media O2, called the partnership a “UK-first” innovation, complementing the £700 million already being invested in the mobile network. “Starlink is a clear leader in this space… which makes it the right partner to complement our existing coverage,” he stated.

However, the service will have initial limitations. Upon launch, O2 Satellite will only support messaging, maps, and location apps, due to current Starlink technology not supporting native phone calls.

VMO2 plans to trial data-based calling, such as via WhatsApp, before the public rollout. The automatic switch to satellite connectivity will occur seamlessly whenever a customer enters an area without terrestrial signal.

While the cost of the new service remains an additional monthly fee that has not yet been announced, analyst Luke Pearce from CCS Insight stresses the growing necessity of such coverage. He notes: “Satellite is the only technology that can truly close the coverage gap across mountains, oceans and rural areas,” highlighting the demand for constant access for everything from emergency SOS to software-defined vehicles.

This move follows a recent regulatory change by Ofcom enabling direct satellite-to-device connectivity. VMO2’s satellite foray sets up a potential “satellite battle” in the UK, as rival Vodafone successfully trialled a satellite video call several months ago, though it has not yet revealed concrete customer service plans.