United Kingdom · verified 6 August 2026

O2 Satellite compatible phones and apps

O2 Satellite works only when the phone, O2 plan, SIM, software, location and app are all eligible. It is live in the UK and uses Starlink direct-to-cell, but it is not a blanket internet connection.

Source status · checked against O2's support page on 6 August 2026

Which phones work with O2 Satellite?

O2's list currently covers selected recent Samsung Galaxy, Apple iPhone and Google Pixel models. A handset being new, expensive or 5G-capable does not automatically make it eligible.

Phone lists change. Treat the summary above as orientation, not proof of eligibility. Check your exact model on O2's current Satellite support page immediately before buying or travelling.

Which apps work?

O2 publishes separate approved lists for Android and iPhone. As of our verification date, both include communication, maps, weather, safety and outdoor apps. Unsupported apps have no satellite data.

The authoritative app list is the live O2 page. It can change without this independent guide changing at the same moment.

What you need to connect

1. An eligible O2 Pay Monthly arrangement. O2 currently offers Satellite as a monthly Bolt On or includes it with an eligible Ultimate plan.
2. A supported phone. Check the exact model, not just the product family.
3. Current software. Install the latest operating-system and app updates before the trip.
4. An eligible SIM. O2 says some customers may need a free SIM upgrade.
5. No roaming bar. O2 says Satellite will not work while roaming is blocked on the account.
6. No terrestrial O2 signal. The phone uses Satellite where the main O2 network is unavailable and satellite coverage exists.
7. Open sky. The service performs best outdoors, away from buildings, trees and terrain obstruction.

When connected, O2 says the network name changes to “O2 Satellite”, and the phone may show a satellite indicator. The handset should return to the ordinary O2 network when coverage comes back.

What O2 Satellite does not do

• It does not support standard voice calls.
• It must not be relied on for emergency voice calls. O2 says emergency calls may use another nearby terrestrial network, but not O2 Satellite itself.
• It does not provide data to every app.
• It does not guarantee continuous coverage across the entire UK.
• It is currently UK-only and does not work in flight mode.
• It cannot deliver government emergency alerts while the phone is on O2 Satellite.

O2 says registered EmergencySMS can work over the service, but that requires prior registration. Follow O2 and EmergencySMS instructions rather than assuming a text to 999 is ready by default.

Does CRAGGEN work on O2 Satellite?

Not today. CRAGGEN is not on O2's approved app list and has not been field-tested over O2 Satellite. The Android app is designed to handle bandwidth-constrained networks and uses brief, low-bitrate voice bursts, so it is technically prepared for the approval and test process. Preparation is not permission.

We record that distinction—and every carrier change—on the satellite-to-cell status tracker. If O2 admits CRAGGEN and a hardware test passes, that tracker will show the date, device and limitations.