Starlink’s rapidly expanding Direct to Cell service is officially heading to Southeast Asia, with the Philippines set to become the first country in the region to launch satellite-to-mobile connectivity.
According to a report from Mobile World Live, Globe Telecom has signed a deal with Starlink to roll out direct-to-device (D2D) satellite service in the Philippines within the next few months. Globe says it will be the first operator to offer Starlink’s satellite-to-mobile service not only in the Philippines, but across Southeast Asia, and the second carrier in Asia overall.
The service is designed to work on standard LTE smartphones, requiring no hardware changes and allowing users to connect directly to Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellites when traditional cellular coverage is unavailable. Globe says the technology will help connect underserved communities, including the roughly 4% of the Filipino population that currently lives outside the reach of terrestrial mobile networks. It will also act as a backup layer when existing infrastructure is damaged or inaccessible, such as during natural disasters.
Globe president and CEO Carl Cruz described the partnership as a “historic step in our mission to build a digital inclusive nation,” adding that extending mobile reach through satellite technology will help ensure every Filipino has access to essential communication services.
Starlink currently operates a constellation of more than 650 Direct to Cell satellites and has connected over 12 million people across 22 countries at least once. The deal with Globe adds to a growing list of telecom partnerships as SpaceX works to scale its satellite cellular ambitions globally. Starlink has already announced similar Direct to Cell agreements with Virgin Media O2 in the U.K. and Airtel Africa, with launches expected sometime this year.
Beyond partnerships, Starlink is also preparing to test Direct to Cell service independently, using its own wireless spectrum acquired through a blockbuster deal with EchoStar. Recent trademarks for “Starlink Mobile” further suggest SpaceX may eventually launch a standalone satellite cellular service without relying on traditional telecom operators.
With Globe closing 2025 as the Philippines’ largest mobile operator by subscriber count, Starlink’s first Southeast Asian Direct to Cell deployment could quickly become a major real-world test of satellite-powered mobile connectivity at scale.
