German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom will partner with SpaceX’s Starlink to expand satellite-based mobile services in Europe, the companies said today.
The companies plan to expand coverage to areas where issues like topography or nature conservation requirements have made connectivity difficult. The service will launch in 10 European countries in 2028.
“We provide our customers with the best mobile network. And we continue to invest heavily in expanding our infrastructure,” said Deutsche Telekom board member for product and technology Abu Mudesir. “At the same time, there are regions where expansion is especially complex due to topographical conditions or official constraints.”
“We want to ensure reliable connectivity for our customers in those areas as well. That is why we are strategically complementing our network with satellite-to-mobile connectivity.”
Compatible smartphones will be able to connect directly to Starlink’s satellites once out of range of a terrestrial signal, Deutsche Telekom said. The service will cover countries including Germany, Austria, Greece, and Poland.
This will be the first service in Europe to use Starlink’s second-generation V2 satellites. The first set of V2 models is set to launch in mid-2027, and SpaceX hopes to deploy 1,200 V2 satellites within six months.
Starlink’s satellite connectivity services currently have around 10 million monthly active users, SpaceX VP for satellite engineering Michael Nicolls said at the Mobile World Congress event today. The company plans to exceed 25 million monthly active users by the end of 2026.
Microsoft said in February it would also partner with Starlink to expand global internet connectivity. SpaceX has been considering filing for an initial public offering as soon as this month, per Bloomberg, and may seek a valuation of US$1.75 trillion.
Deutsche Telekom (ETR: DTE) shares closed 2.6% lower at EU€33.21. Its market capitalisation is €163.57 billion.
