Fastweb and Vodafone trial Starlink direct-to-cell technology to bring satellite connectivity to regular smartphones in Italy's rural areas
Executive summary: Fastweb and Vodafone are conducting a trial of SpaceX's Starlink direct-to-cell service that enables ordinary smartphones to connect to satellites for voice and data in remote Italian locations. Success would extend mobile coverage to underserved rural areas without new tower construction, create competitive pressure on traditional operators, and open a potential new revenue stream for the partners.
Who is involved: Fastweb, Vodafone, SpaceX's Starlink, and Italian telecommunications regulators (implicitly).
Likely next: If the trial meets performance thresholds, Fastweb expects to publish results by Q4 2026 and consider a commercial launch in H1 2027, while AGCOM may issue guidance on satellite-to-cell spectrum usage by end 2026.
The experiment, conducted in the Apennine region, marks Italy's first test of linking conventional handsets to low‑Earth‑orbit satellites without specialized hardware. If successful, it could reduce the digital divide by extending mobile coverage where building cell towers is costly. The trial also signals growing competition between terrestrial carriers and satellite constellations for the next generation of ubiquitous connectivity.
Timeline
- — Fastweb sperimenta Starlink: smartphone collegati ai satelliti nelle aree rurali (Il Sole 24 Ore — Economia)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- Fastweb expects to release trial results by Q4 2026.
- If performance meets thresholds, commercial launch planned for H1 2027.
- AGCOM to issue guidance on satellite-to-cell spectrum usage by end 2026.
Sectors affected
- Telecommunications
- Satellite communications
- Rural broadband
Regulatory implications
- EU Radio Spectrum Policy Programme could consider harmonized rules for satellite-to-handset bands.
Historical parallels
- Globalstar launched its GSP‑1720 satellite phone service in 2007.
- Iridium began commercial satellite phone operations in 1998.
Key entities
Sources
- Fastweb sperimenta Starlink: smartphone collegati ai satelliti nelle aree rurali — Il Sole 24 Ore — Economia