SpaceX Rebrands Direct-to-Cell as Starlink Mobile, Unveils V2 Satellites Targeting 150 Mbps and Signs Deutsche Telekom as First European Partner
SpaceX used MWC 2026 to rebrand its satellite phone service, announce next-generation V2 satellites with 100x data density, and sign Deutsche Telekom to bring coverage to 10 European countries by 2028.
Overview
SpaceX used Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on March 2 to formally rebrand its direct-to-cell satellite service as Starlink Mobile, reveal technical details about a second-generation V2 satellite constellation promising 150 Mbps download speeds to unmodified smartphones, and announce Deutsche Telekom as its first European carrier partner. The moves signal SpaceX’s transition from a niche emergency-texting provider into a full-fledged mobile network operator capable of rivaling terrestrial 5G in areas without ground infrastructure.
The service has already accumulated 16 million cumulative users across partner networks, with 10 million active on a monthly basis, according to figures shared at the event.
What We Know
SpaceX currently operates roughly 650 first-generation direct-to-cell satellites in low Earth orbit, providing basic text, data, and voice connectivity through carrier partnerships with T-Mobile in the United States, Rogers in Canada, and KDDI in Japan. Speeds on the current network top out at approximately 4 Mbps per user.
The next-generation V2 satellites disclosed at MWC represent a substantial leap. According to SpaceNews, Michael Nicolls, SpaceX vice president of satellite engineering, said V2 spacecraft would deliver peak download speeds of up to 150 Mbps per user, enabled by phased array antennas five times larger than the current generation, 16 times more beams per satellite, and custom SpaceX-designed silicon. The result is roughly 100 times the data density of the first-generation constellation.
SpaceX has asked U.S. regulators for permission to deploy up to 15,000 V2 satellites operating in Mobile Satellite Service spectrum, as reported by SpaceNews. Each Starship launch could carry more than 50 satellites, Nicolls added, enabling deployment of the approximately 1,200 satellites needed for continuous global coverage within six months of launch initiation, which SpaceX targets for mid-2027.
The spectrum underpinning V2 comes in part from SpaceX’s $17 billion deal with EchoStar, announced in September 2025. According to TechCrunch, SpaceX agreed to acquire 50 MHz of wireless spectrum including AWS-4 and PCS H-block licenses for approximately $8.5 billion in cash and $8.5 billion in SpaceX stock, with an additional $2 billion allocated toward existing EchoStar interest payments through November 2027. SpaceX estimates the new spectrum could increase throughput of V2 satellites by up to 20 times compared to the current generation.
Deutsche Telekom Partnership
The most significant carrier announcement at MWC was a partnership with Deutsche Telekom to bring Starlink Mobile V2 to 10 European countries, with service planned for early 2028. The deal represents Europe’s first deployment of SpaceX’s next-generation satellite-to-smartphone technology, as reported by CNBC.
Deutsche Telekom, Europe’s largest telecommunications provider, will use the service to fill coverage gaps in areas where network expansion has been impractical. As Dr. Abdu Mudesir, the company’s chief product and technology officer, explained in a Euronews report, “We have the best network in all countries. However, it’s always the last 10 percent, 5 percent, 1 percent that’s uncovered.” Target areas include forests, mountains, and islands across Deutsche Telekom’s European footprint, which supports over 140 million subscribers.
The service will use a B2B2C model: Deutsche Telekom handles local regulation and customer relationships while SpaceX provides satellite infrastructure. Compatible smartphones will automatically switch to Starlink’s MSS spectrum when terrestrial signal is lost, enabling data, video, voice, and text messaging without user intervention.
Stephanie Bednarek, VP of Starlink Sales, called the agreement “the first-of-its-kind in Europe to launch Starlink’s V2 next-generation technology,” as reported by Euronews.
What We Don’t Know
Several questions remain unanswered. SpaceX has not disclosed pricing for Starlink Mobile service when it operates as a standalone carrier rather than through partner networks. The company has also not specified when device manufacturers will ship smartphones with native V2 compatibility, though reports indicate Qualcomm and MediaTek are working to integrate Starlink connectivity into future modem chipsets.
The FCC public comment window on the EchoStar spectrum transfer has closed, but a final ruling has not been announced. Any delay in approval could push back the V2 deployment timeline.
It also remains unclear how the service will navigate the patchwork of European spectrum regulations across Deutsche Telekom’s 10 markets. The company’s statement emphasized the B2B2C model as a way to handle local regulatory requirements, but the details of MSS spectrum licensing in each jurisdiction have not been disclosed.
Finally, the mid-2027 deployment timeline for V2 satellites depends on Starship achieving regular launch cadence, a milestone SpaceX has not yet demonstrated in operational service.
Analysis
The Starlink Mobile rebrand and V2 announcement mark a turning point for satellite-to-phone technology. The current generation of direct-to-cell service has proven the concept works but has been limited to supplementary connectivity at speeds too low for most modern mobile applications. A 150 Mbps target would place V2 squarely in competition with terrestrial 5G networks in coverage-challenged areas.
The Deutsche Telekom partnership is strategically significant. Rather than competing with carriers, SpaceX is positioning itself as infrastructure that carriers resell to their existing subscriber bases. This approach avoids the regulatory and customer acquisition costs of operating as a standalone carrier in fragmented European markets.
The $17 billion EchoStar spectrum acquisition gives SpaceX dedicated mid-band capacity that does not depend on borrowing spectrum from carrier partners, a structural advantage that no other satellite-to-phone competitor currently possesses. Combined with the vertical integration of custom silicon, phased array antennas, and Starship launch capability, SpaceX has assembled a supply chain that would be difficult for AST SpaceMobile, Lynk, or other rivals to replicate.
This article builds on earlier reporting on the competitive dynamics of the LEO broadband market, where Amazon, Eutelsat, and Telesat are pursuing different strategies to challenge Starlink’s dominance.