Ofcom has lit the fuse on the smartphone space race, with the regulator making the UK the first country in Western Europe where mobile operators team up with satellite companies to deploy new “space-age” services.

Announcing its final decisions about how Direct to Device (D2D) satellite services can be rolled out, the communications watchdog has laid down a few ground rules for network operators, mostly to do with protections for certain spectrum bands used by radar and guidelines around managing interference.

However, Ofcom confirmed that no licence will be needed by ordinary smartphone users to get a signal from space, opening the door for satellite calls, texts and data that could help eliminate the country’s notorious mobile notspots.

This could mean lifesaving connections for the most hard-to-reach areas, like remote villages in the North of Scotland and dangerous mountain terrain, while also providing vital back-up options during outages.

So far, the technology has only been rolled out widely in one other European country, Ukraine, where it offers extra coverage and resilience as a wartime backup amidst extensive damage to the country’s mobile networks.

Until now, direct-to-device satellite communications have only been possible with specialist kit, typically used by the likes of the navy and mountain rescue teams, making it too expensive for everyday consumers. 

By carefully lifting restrictions on network operators, Ofcom hopes to encourage a wider adoption of the technology, while avoiding disruption to air traffic control stations and mobile networks in neighbouring countries.

Ofcom cautioned that any network operator that intends to provide direct-to-device services will need to request a change to its licence first, but the biggest among them have moved fast to gain a competitive advantage.

Virgin Media O2, for example, has inked a partnership with Starlink as part of its intention to move into this new market, with the firm looking to introduce satellite connectivity by early 2026, beginning with messaging and data services.

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Meanwhile, Vodafone has signed a deal with AST to bring these services to its customers, and has already made the first-ever video call over satellite from an area with no terrestrial mobile coverage.

“With satellite technology, in future you could send selfies from Scafell Pike, livestream from Lake Windermere, or browse bargains from Ben Nevis,” said David Willis, Ofcom’s group director for Spectrum.

“Mobile operators are already pressing ahead to make the UK the first nation in Western Europe to have widespread access to this technology, which will see remote and rural areas be better connected than ever before, unlocking opportunities for communities, businesses and economic growth.”