Spanish telecommunications operator MasOrange has announced plans to trial Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell (D2C) satellite service following a new agreement with SpaceX.
The trial, confirmed on Monday, received regulatory backing after Spain’s State Secretariat for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure approved the use of radio spectrum assigned to MasOrange for Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell technology, commonly referred to as Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS).
MasOrange said the technical pilot will be conducted in the province of Valladolid, though the company did not disclose the specific timeline for the trial or details on which mobile devices will be supported.
According to the telco, the service will allow users to access data-based applications and messaging services directly from their smartphones, without relying solely on terrestrial mobile networks. Starlink Direct-to-Cell is expected to act as a complementary network layer, particularly benefiting users in remote, mountainous, or coastal regions where conventional mobile coverage is limited.
Commenting on the development, MasOrange CEO Meinrad Spenger said the partnership underscores the company’s commitment to innovation and service quality.
“We are very pleased to announce this agreement with Starlink, which reinforces our commitment to innovation and to always offering the best services to our customers through the use of all available technologies,” Spenger said.
The development comes amid broader corporate changes at MasOrange. The company is partially owned by French telecom giant Orange, which recently announced plans to acquire the remaining 50% stake from Lorca. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026.
Orange already operates in the satellite connectivity space, offering a satellite messaging service in partnership with Skylo, currently available on select Google Pixel smartphones.
