Starlink is expanding its direct-to-device satellite service into Mongolia through a new partnership with Mobicom, giving people in remote parts of the country a way to connect ordinary smartphones directly to satellites when cellular coverage disappears.
Mobicom says the new service, called mobiSPACE, will use Starlink Mobile to support messaging and selected apps outside the reach of traditional mobile networks. No satellite dish or extra hardware will be required, with compatible phones connecting directly to Starlink satellites when conditions allow.
Starlink said Tuesday that the service is aimed at herders, miners, remote communities and others living or working across Mongolia’s vast territory, where extending traditional cell coverage can be difficult.
The partnership comes three years after Mongolia granted SpaceX licences to provide Starlink internet service using its traditional satellite dishes. mobiSPACE takes that a step further by bringing satellite connectivity directly to mobile phones instead of requiring a dedicated Starlink terminal.
Mobicom is Mongolia’s largest mobile carrier, making the partnership a significant expansion for Starlink Mobile as SpaceX continues signing operators around the world.
According to Mobicom, customers outside cellular coverage will be able to send and receive messages and access selected apps over Starlink when they have a clear view of the sky. The carrier has not yet published a full list of supported apps, pricing details or an exact launch date.
The service is different from full Starlink broadband. Direct-to-device connectivity is designed to give phones basic access when terrestrial networks disappear, with messaging and selected apps forming the first stage before more data-heavy services become available.
The Mongolia announcement adds to a busy stretch for Starlink Mobile, which recently signed a carrier deal with +Móvil in Panama and completed its first video call test with FASTWEB in Italy.
Meanwhile, Starlink’s traditional satellite internet business continues to expand, with SpaceX recently opening free Starlink Mini rentals to more Residential customers.
For Mongolia, the appeal is straightforward. Satellite-to-phone connectivity can reach areas where building new towers is expensive or impractical, giving people in isolated parts of the country another way to stay connected using the phones they already carry.
The biggest questions now are when mobiSPACE will launch, which phones and apps will be supported at first, and how much Mobicom plans to charge for the service.
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