I’ve been a Londoner all my life; born and bred in good ol’ Walthamstow in the East End of the city, I’ve lived and breathed London life for the past 33 years.
But with house prices going through the roof – and possibly past the exosphere, deep into space – I’ve had to leave The Old Smoke behind and head deeper into leafy Essex. And one thing has become clear to me in the months since moving here: cellular connectivity is pretty rubbish once you get out of big cities and population centres.
I mean, I always knew that, but there was some assumption – possibly naively on my behalf – that coverage had vastly improved over the years. After all, most UK network providers claim that they offer coverage in up to 95% of the UK, and that does sound like a lot.
That is, until you realise that the remaining 5% of the UK equates to an area the size of around 4,717 miles, or roughly the size of Connecticut for US readers. In that context, there’s still a lot of the UK begging for solid coverage.
And, let’s be honest, it’s really annoying when you encounter one of these signal deadspots. Whether it’s A-roads when your calls drop, the coastal path where your maps won’t load or the village two miles outside of the local town that’s a complete dead zone, when signal disappears, your expensive glass and metal slab becomes, well, pretty useless.
That’s why the news about a new partnership between Virgin Media O2 and Elon Musk’s Starlink caught my eye. It could be the start of a cellular revolution in the UK – if the two companies get it right.
New O2 Satellite service to launch next year
The new O2 Satellite service is pitched by the two companies as direct-to-phone connectivity that aims to fill the gaps when regular 4G and 5G coverage disappears – though don’t expect to stream YouTube videos in 4K on this new satellite-based service.
It’s said to focus first and foremost on messaging and basic data, with third-party app support growing over time. In essence, apps like Messages, WhatsApp, Google Maps, Apple Maps and even the likes of What3Words will likely take priority over sharing stories on Instagram or going live on TikTok – though that could come further down the road.
The promise from O2 and Starlink is that your smartphone should automatically hop to a Starlink satellite when there isn’t mast signal available – though the exact behaviour is yet to be confirmed. Still, it should offer a better connectivity safety net compared to the endless network of masts that never quite reach valleys, moors, and coastlines, with up to 650 satellites at O2’s disposal by the time rollout is complete.
O2 has confirmed that the service is due to be rolled out over the next year, with a full UK launch targeted for the first half of 2026 – though it’ll come as a paid add-on. No surprise there, really.
This feels different to usual coverage promises
At this point, I think we’ve heard every pledge under the sun about rural coverage from UK networks, and most of them amount to very little real-world improvements in challenging areas.
It’s not exactly surprising; you need to install masts to boost cellular coverage, and that comes with its own challenges, including planning permission and the inevitable objections that come with it, backhaul costs, or even the availability of power in these remote regions.
But that’s why the Starlink deal feels so different.
This isn’t mast-based connectivity; instead, it’s a direct-to-phone service from low-Earth orbit satellites. Coming from above, it doesn’t have to deal with the same issues as ground-based masts, meaning that it could follow you down motorways, across national parks and into the kinds of communities that have waited a decade for a single extra bar.
The best part is that, unlike the regular Starlink internet service, it doesn’t require a dedicated dish or dongle to function. Instead, it should simply work with the phones we already own.
At least, that’s the theory. The reality is that the tech will likely be limited to newer, higher-end phones that support satellite connectivity technology. Most recent iPhone owners will likely be fine, but things could be a little more hit-and-miss on the Android front.
The make-or-break of satellite-based connectivity
This is a first-of-its-kind deal in the UK, and I can guarantee that consumers and operators alike will be watching the rollout very closely indeed – so O2 and Starlink really need to get it right the first time around.
In my mind, it comes down to three crucial elements.
The most important is, of course, device support. If the new service launches with support for just a few flagships, it helps the few and leaves the many behind. The whole point of this direct-to-phone connectivity is broad compatibility, and O2 needs to be crystal clear about which phones and software versions are supported at launch.
Second is pricing. O2 needs to make it a simple, fair add-on that feels more like a safety net than a luxury, ideally with enough usage to cover calls, messages and maps without worry – or having to break the bank.
Also important is the experience. This needs to ‘just work’, automatically switching between mast coverage and satellite connectivity without any faff or interaction with your phone required. Trying to manually find satellite connectivity by pointing your phone at the sky might be suitable for the more tech-savvy among us, but it needs to be accessible to everyone.
Of course, I’m realistic about physics – indoor connectivity may be hit-and-miss without a decent view of the sky, as we’ve already seen from Apple’s satellite connectivity, and just like regular masts, busy events will push capacity to the max – but if the day-to-day is seamless and dependable, most people will forgive those edge cases.
Cautiously optimistic
From where I’m standing – usually on a windswept verge watching my phone time out – O2 Satellite is the most credible fix yet for Britain’s infamous connectivity blackspots.
The fast rollout, scale and direct-to-phone connectivity all add up to something more than a simple marketing exercise, and depending on how it’s handled, it could be the beginning of the end of the dreaded “No Signal” when you’re exploring the leafy pastures of the UK countryside and blustery coastlines.
Well, as long as you’re on O2, that is.
