Virgin Media O2 Satellite Service Extended to UK Apple iPhone Users
Mobile operator O2 (Virgin Media) has today announced that their new Direct-to-Device (D2D) based O2 Satellite service (here), which for just £3 extra per month enables normal Smartphones to connect to their mobile network via Starlink’s satellites, will be extended to work on Apple iPhones from tomorrow.
The service harnesses SpaceX’s global Starlink network in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to support a satellite based 4G mobile data (broadband) connection via part of the 1800MHz (B3) band, which enables connectivity in even some of the remotest parts of the UK. In addition, users also benefit from greater general resilience, at least when outside a building.
The new service, once applied, effectively boosted O2’s UK landmass mobile coverage from 89% to 95%, delivering a coverage uplift equivalent to an area around two thirds the size of Wales. The service is designed to complement O2’s existing mobile network, and customers will connect automatically when traditional cellular coverage is unavailable.
Advertisement
However, at launch in February 2026 it only supported a limited number of handsets, all of which were based off the Android operating system (mostly recent Samsung models). The service also had some other limitations, such as initially only being able to support text messaging and limited data connectivity across specific apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, Google Maps and more.
The good news today is that O2 will switch on its satellite mobile service for iPhone users tomorrow (Thursday 28th May 2026). But you’ll need at least an iPhone 13 to benefit.
Chris Bournes, Commercial Director at VMO2, said:
“Earlier this year, we made history with the switch on of O2 Satellite. Expanding the service to iPhone users is a major step forward in making this new, groundbreaking technology accessible to more customers. Whether you’re hiking, travelling or in a remote part of the UK, O2 Satellite helps ensure you can stay connected when you need it most.”
Compatible Apple devices:
iPhone 17 Pro Max, 17 Pro, 17, 17e,
iPhone Air
iPhone 16 Pro Max, 16 Pro, 16 Plus, 16, 16e
iPhone 15 Pro Max, 15 Pro, 15 Plus, 15
iPhone 14 Pro Max, 14 Pro, 14 Plus, 14
iPhone 13 Pro Max, 13 Pro, 13, 13 miniCompatible apps:
AccuWeather
AllTrails
Apple Compass
Apple Fitness
Apple Maps
Apple Messages
Apple Music
Apple Weather
BBC Weather
Google Maps
Messenger
X
Yahoo Mail
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
« Streetwave UK Surveys Mobile Network Coverage on the River Thames
Advertisement
Leave a Reply
Privacy Notice: Please note that news comments are anonymous, which means that we do NOT require you to enter any real personal details to post a message and display names can be almost anything you like (provided they do not contain offensive language or impersonate a real person's legal name). By clicking to submit a post you agree to storing your entries for comment content, display name, IP and email in our database, for as long as the post remains live.
Only the submitted name and comment will be displayed in public, while the rest will be kept private (we will never share this outside of ISPreview, regardless of whether the data is real or fake). This comment system uses submitted IP, email and website address data to spot abuse and spammers. All data is transferred via an encrypted (https secure) session.
I’m surprised to see Apple Music included but Apple/iCloud Mail excluded, even though Yahoo Mail is on the list.
I am not with O2 but when EE start this I am all over it.
So I can be in airplane mode? will it work there?
At the moment I have the sat emergency function but a world where Starlink is giving us 100% 5G is where i want to be. This will also work world wide and should bring roaming right down. People like honest mobile might well get taken out.
No, Starlink transmits an 4G signal to your phone. It uses the same modem in your phone that you use to connect to terrestrial masts, so you can’t be in airplane mode while you use it.
It won’t work outside of the UK (or likely anywhere near the NI border or Kent coast) because it uses MNO licenced spectrum, and they can’t interfere with terrestrial networks in other countries. The network operators will also configure the phone to use satellite as a last resort only.
It won’t replace roaming because of the above point and also because the performance will be nowhere near as good as a terrestrial network, and likely at higher cost as roaming deals can be reciprocal.
It isn’t 5G. It’s 4G and it is a bare minimum service to provide what is essentially emergency comms.
@simon: Apart from O2, the only other MNO interested in this is Vodafone which will be running customer trials this summer with AST SpaceMobile. I’ve seen no evidence that EE is pursuing D2D (somewhat surprised as the potential market looks big).
So, it you want D2D now, sign up with O2.
I think you may be waiting sometime for EE to offer this! I think EE/BT are now obsessed with the rebrand back to BT.
I use it for whatsapp, and maps (on samsung) – not used it for much else, but i find it works extremely well. I’ve used it on the east coast, and in the lake district in places i don’t get o2 signal generally. I’m impressed.
It won’t work abroad (as it uses o2 spectrum) and is only 4g – but the data rates are slow, so 4/5g makes no difference really.
Vodafone will also release a competitor system that should be technically better, but that’s already a few years behind schedule, so I wouldn’t hold my breath for that one.
So it won’t switch over when O2 shows 4g or 5g but is totally unusable due to congestion which is 99% of the time. Despite all the claims of millions spent in improvements.
I’ve been testing this extensively for the past 24 months and I can say this is a very impressive product deployment. If you’re looking for advanced satellite connectivity to bridge those dastardly not-spots, this is a sweet solution.
I tested it and could only send SMS. None of the whitelisted apps worked and all other apps gave the error that they are not supported by my carrier’s satellite service.