Starlink Mobile, SpaceX’s rebranded direct-to-device satellite service, is set to deliver broadband connectivity to unmodified cell phones using second-generation low Earth orbit satellites, the company said at MWC26 Barcelona on March 2, 2026.
SpaceX Senior Vice President Michael Nicolls said the service is designed to complement terrestrial 5G networks, not replace them. The company is positioning Starlink Mobile as a supplement for areas with sparse coverage and as a connectivity option during emergencies.
Second-Generation Satellites Power Starlink Mobile
The second-generation satellite constellation delivers link performance 20 times greater than the first generation. Nicolls said the new satellites feature a large phased array antenna five times the size of first-generation hardware, with four times the bandwidth per beam.
SpaceX plans to use 20x20MHz beams and capabilities including MIMO on the satellite. The company is adopting the 3GPP Release-19 NR-NTN standard, which Nicolls said could improve connection quality by up to ten times for users at the edge of a satellite’s coverage area.
Performance and Data Rates
The second-generation satellites will carry almost 100 times more data density than their predecessors. Under optimal conditions, download speeds of up to 150Mb/s are possible, according to Nicolls.
A key enabler of the service is globally harmonised S-band satellite spectrum that SpaceX acquired from EchoStar in 2025. Nicolls said the spectrum carries priority interference rights, allowing SpaceX to scale the constellation globally, subject to regulatory approvals, and maintain a consistent service level across all operating regions.
Device Compatibility and Launch Timeline
SpaceX is collaborating with device and modem manufacturers to ensure broad mobile device compatibility for Starlink Mobile. The company plans to launch the service in mid-2027.
Nicolls said SpaceX is working to ensure the service mimics a 5G network in terms of user experience. However, he emphasised that Starlink Mobile is not intended to replace land-based infrastructure.
Constellation Deployment and Starship Role
SpaceX aims to deploy a constellation capable of providing global and contiguous coverage within six months of beginning launches. That target requires approximately 1,200 satellites, Nicolls said.
The pace of satellite launches is expected to accelerate due to the greater payload capacity of SpaceX’s Starship rocket. Moreover, the broader constellation will enable Starlink Mobile to reach hundreds of millions of devices as deployment scales. The telecommunications industry is watching the rollout closely as satellite-based direct-to-device services move toward commercial viability.
“The second-generation constellation will deliver broadband capabilities to unmodified cell phones reaching hundreds of millions of devices as we scale the constellation.”
Michael Nicolls, Senior Vice President, SpaceX
SpaceX’s connected device strategy reflects a broader industry shift toward non-terrestrial networks as a viable layer of global mobile infrastructure. Consequently, the mid-2027 commercial launch of Starlink Mobile will be a key milestone for the direct-to-device satellite sector.