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Starlink Mobile targets 25M users as direct-to-cell becomes a mainstream product

Starlink Mobile targets 25M users as direct-to-cell becomes a mainstream product

650+ direct-to-cell satellites, 16M reached, voice and data added, SpaceX rebrands DTC as 'Starlink Mobile'

Space·Infrastructure· active Le jeu long·Comment la vie change ·8 takes · ·rbtfl upd 25 juin 2026

Summary

SpaceX is recasting its direct-to-cell service as "Starlink Mobile", a mainstream consumer product rather than an experiment. At MWC 2026 it said 16 million unique users had reached the service via partner carriers, ~10 million active monthly, and set a target of 25 million active users by year-end, adding roughly 52,000 a day. More than 650 direct-to-cell satellites are in orbit, enough for texting anywhere; voice and data now work through 30+ optimised apps including Google Maps and WhatsApp. A Gen-2 satellite plan promises ~100x data density but depends on Starship V3 to deploy at scale, linking the consumer push to the booster problem grounding the rocket. It races China's constellations and Amazon Leo.

By the numbers

  • 25M, active-user target by end-2026.
  • 16M, unique users reached; ~10M active monthly (as of March 2026).
  • 650+, direct-to-cell satellites in orbit.
  • ~52,000, new users added per day, per SpaceX's projection.

Why it matters

Direct-to-cell turns every smartphone into a satellite terminal, eroding the coverage moat of terrestrial carriers and giving SpaceX a consumer base no rival yet matches. Gen-2's data-density leap, and the whole scale story, hinge on Starship V3 flying reliably.

What to watch

  • Whether the 25M year-end target is met.
  • Gen-2 deployment timing, gated by Starship V3's return to flight.
  • Carrier deals and regulatory clearances in new countries.