Mobile operator Kyivstar announced the start of open testing of Direct to Cell direct satellite communication technology in partnership with Starlink. At the first stage, the new product will be available to a limited number of users, and later to all subscribers. The goal of the project is to provide communication in places where there is no terrestrial coverage or it works unstable.
At the testing stage, only Android devices are supported, iOS support will appear later. The following conditions are required for operation: placement in an open area so that the smartphone has direct contact with the satellite, as well as the presence of a SIM or eSIM with LTE support. Kyivstar specifies that the first tests will focus on sending and receiving SMS via a satellite channel, the full launch of the service is planned for the fourth quarter of 2025.
Testing will continue in October and November 2025. During the testing, subscribers will receive free access to the service without additional fees and without changes in tariff plans, and all SMS, minutes and traffic will be credited according to the terms of the existing tariff. To facilitate testing, Kyivstar is giving participants a bonus of 100 SMS for 30 days.
The operator promises to expand the functionality: in the future, they plan to add voice calls and mobile Internet via a satellite channel. Currently, the geography of service provision covers the entire territory of Ukraine, except for temporarily occupied regions, zones of active hostilities, as well as Dnipropetrovsk and Chernihiv regions; the company notes that in the future it intends to extend the service to these territories as well.
The implementation of Direct to Cell is essential to increasing the resilience of the country's communications. The satellite channel will allow you to stay connected in remote and hard-to-reach locations, as well as in the event of forced outages of terrestrial infrastructure. At the same time, technical limitations, including the need for direct visibility of the satellite and the temporary lack of iOS support, remain factors that will affect the user experience in the first months of launch.
