Starlink now has more than 8 million users

Starlink now has more than 8 million users. SpaceX’s service is also continuing to advance in the mobile sector.

Starlink’s user base keeps growing, with the company now claiming more than 8 million active users across 150 countries. Growth remains exceptionally fast: in June, Starlink still reported 6 million users in 140 countries. Moreover, SpaceX’s service is no longer limited to providing residential connections for the public. Starlink also offers a service called Direct to Cell, enabling a satellite connection to be used directly on a 4G smartphone.

Starlink Direct to Cell reaches more users

This relatively new offering is making major progress as well. “Starlink Direct to Cell leverages the world’s largest satellite-to-mobile constellation, delivering data, voice, video and messaging in areas without mobile coverage across all 5 continents. Since the service launched at the start of the year, more than 8 million people have already used Starlink Direct to Cell to stay connected when terrestrial service was unavailable,” states another Starlink post.

New partnerships and spectrum purchases: Starlink pushes into mobile

The appeal of Starlink’s Direct to Cell service is its ability to provide 4G in mobile not-spots or whenever terrestrial infrastructure is unavailable. It can therefore supply a back-up network during natural disasters or supplement the networks of conventional operators. Starlink recently announced, for instance, a partnership with UK operator O2 to cover mobile not-spots.

However, its work does not stop with operator partnerships. Elon Musk’s company is also pursuing spectrum, signalling an intention to run these Direct to Cell networks independently. In September, SpaceX acquired spectrum licences worth $17 billion from EchoStar. This week, a further $2.6 billion transaction was announced.