It was at the end of 2023 when Elon Musk began his journey with Starlink’s mobile Internet service. Since then, his mobile plans have made headlines in Spain, with surprising results in tests. We now know which European country will be the first to welcome it.
Ukraine will be the first European territory to offer Starlink’s mobile services, according to the current CEO of Kyivstar, the country’s largest telecommunications operator. It will do so in the middle of next year, when it launches its mobile satellite messaging system.
According to statements made by executive Oleksandr Komarov to Reuters, the first phase of implementation, which is the over-the-top (OTT) messaging service, will be operational by the end of the year in the country, which is currently at war with Russia.
Ukraine to host Starlink’s mobile service
Starlink’s Direct to Cell mobile service has numerous advantages over traditional terrestrial telecommunications-based systems. For example, it does not cause interference or radio signal problems for other operators.
The idea, says Starlink, is to eliminate all unconnected areas around the world by using Starlink satellites that already provide Internet connectivity in many areas of the world thanks to satellite megaconstellations.
The text messaging service has already been tested in 2024, and SpaceX has promised data and IoT (Internet of Things) services in 2025. Direct to Cell will also connect to devices of this type with LTE standards.
The goal is none other than to provide mobile connectivity anywhere, without requiring changes in hardware or special equipment. All this is the result of the built-in eNodeB modem in Starlink satellites.
Komarov told the news portal that in early 2026, ‘to be on the safe side,’ and in the second quarter of 2026, they will already offer mobile broadband with data and voice via Starlink. Direct to Cell will be implemented in Ukraine if these deadlines are met.
If Komarov’s deadlines are met, Ukraine would be the first country in Europe to adopt Direct to Cell directly as a service, with Elon Musk promising expansion to other European countries.
It should be noted that Kyivstar is by no means the only operator allied with Elon Musk in this telecommunications race. Other collaborating operators include T-Mobile in the United States, Salt in Switzerland, Entel in Peru and KDDI in Japan.
