Independent status tracker · carrier sources · no hype
Satellite-to-cell status: UK, USA, Canada, Australia & New Zealand
Direct-to-cell is already carrying selected app data and voice over ordinary phones. This tracker shows what is live, what each carrier permits and what still needs proving. CRAGGEN is technically prepared, but it is not yet carrier-approved or field-proven over satellite.
LAST VERIFIED · 6 AUGUST 2026 · SOURCE CHANGES ARE LOGGED BELOW
What satellite-to-cell is
Ordinary phones connecting directly to satellites where there's no mast — no dish, no special hardware. The satellite behaves like a phone mast in the sky. In the UK this launched in February 2026 as O2 Satellite, built on Starlink's direct-to-cell constellation: the first such service in Europe.
What works over it today
A limited, carrier-chosen set of apps — generally messaging, maps, weather and, on some networks, WhatsApp calls. That selected-app voice works matters: it shows that low-bitrate live voice can cross the link. It does not mean every voice app is allowed through. The carrier, phone, plan, sky view and app list all matter.
Where satellite-to-cell is live today
Carrier by carrier, this is what actually works right now — not what has been announced. We update this table from carrier sources as markets open. Last verified: 6 August 2026.
| Where | Carrier & satellite partner | What works today | CRAGGEN over it |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | O2 Satellite (Starlink) | Selected app data live — including WhatsApp calls; £3/month Bolt On or included with eligible plans | Not yet. Technically prepared, but CRAGGEN is not on O2's approved-app list and has not been field-tested |
| United Kingdom | VodafoneThree (AST SpaceMobile / SatCo) | Customer trials announced for summer 2026 — service designed for data, voice and SMS | Not yet — trial access and a field test are required |
| United States | T-Mobile T-Satellite (Starlink) | Selected app data live — messaging, maps, weather and selected communication apps | Candidate for a US field test. Technically prepared; not carrier-listed or proven |
| United States | Verizon (Skylo) | Messaging, location and emergency features on compatible phones | No — general third-party app data is not offered |
| United States | AT&T (AST SpaceMobile) | Network development and trials; no general consumer app-data service to claim here | Not yet |
| Canada | Rogers Satellite (Starlink) | Selected app data live — including app-based voice and video calling | Technically prepared; carrier approval and a Canadian field test remain |
| Australia | Telstra Satellite (Starlink) | Messaging and selected app data live — approved navigation, messaging, weather and other low-bandwidth apps; real-time calls may be intermittent | Not yet. CRAGGEN is not listed as a selected app and still needs carrier admission and an Australian field test |
| New Zealand | One NZ Satellite (Starlink) | Selected app data live — including WhatsApp calling on eligible phones and plans | Technically prepared; carrier approval and a New Zealand field test remain |
Two honest caveats apply everywhere: service can be intermittent as satellites move and terrain, trees or buildings obstruct the sky; and every carrier decides which phones, plans, places and apps its satellite service supports. "Satellite-ready" on our side never means "works anywhere you can see sky".
Country-by-country status
United Kingdom
O2 Satellite is live for compatible phones, plans and a selected app list that includes WhatsApp. Standard mobile voice and emergency calls are not carried over O2 Satellite. VodafoneThree has announced customer trials. CRAGGEN is not on either carrier's approved list.
United States
T-Mobile T-Satellite carries selected app data and is the first practical CRAGGEN test target once access is agreed. Verizon currently concentrates on messaging, location and emergency features; AT&T remains in development and trials.
Canada
Rogers Satellite carries selected app data, including app-based voice and video on eligible devices and plans. CRAGGEN still needs carrier admission and a Canadian field test.
Australia
Telstra now offers messaging and selected satellite apps on eligible phones and plans. Its list covers low-bandwidth navigation, messaging, weather and related apps; Telstra warns real-time calls may be intermittent. CRAGGEN is not listed, approved or field-tested.
New Zealand
One NZ carries selected app data, including WhatsApp calling on eligible phones and plans. CRAGGEN remains unapproved and untested on that service.
Every live-service statement above links to the carrier or regulator source in the comparison table. A newer press release does not change this page until the operating service or trial status is confirmed.
What changed
Rebuilt the tracker around primary carrier sources. Added live O2 and Telstra selected-app status, separated Verizon from AT&T, updated Rogers app voice/video and One NZ WhatsApp calling, and made CRAGGEN's approval and field-test status explicit.
Tracker first published with a carrier-by-carrier distinction between messaging, app data, trials and announcements.
Follow the update feed or bookmark this page. The visible verification date only changes after the linked sources are checked; an old date is more useful than manufactured freshness.
Where CRAGGEN stands, honestly
| Requirement | Status |
|---|---|
| Bearer-agnostic design — the app doesn't care what carries its data | Done — built this way from day one |
| Tiny, bursty traffic pattern (PTT transmits only while a button is held) | Done — inherent to push-to-talk |
| Low-bitrate voice codec (Opus, ~16 kbps — comparable to WhatsApp voice) | Done — shipped in v0.5; older Android 8–9 handsets fall back to a heavier codec and still interoperate |
Android satellite declaration (PROPERTY_SATELLITE_DATA_OPTIMIZED) and constrained-network requests (the app must explicitly ask for bandwidth-constrained networks or Android never offers them) | Done — both shipped in v0.5 |
| Carrier approval for CRAGGEN | Not yet — selected-app networks still control admission |
| Real-world tests on each carrier | Not yet — a US tester on T-Satellite is the first practical target |
What changes when
CRAGGEN declares and requests Android's constrained satellite networks and uses low-bitrate, bursty voice. That makes it a strong technical candidate. It is not a guarantee. We still need each carrier to admit the app, then we need to test connection time, drop-outs, latency and talk bursts on real hardware. The intended experience remains the same channel and the same hold-to-talk control, with the satellite extending the network beneath it.
Use the network you already carry
CRAGGEN works now over mobile data and Wi-Fi. If carrier-approved direct-to-cell access opens later, the operating habit stays the same: join a private channel, hold to talk, release to listen.
No account · no tracking in the app · no server audio recording · joining is free
Until then
CRAGGEN works over ordinary mobile data and Wi-Fi today. Radios remain the right choice where a team needs local voice with no network at all; satellite messengers and personal locator beacons remain the right tools where help and rescue are the requirement. Direct-to-cell is valuable because it can extend the familiar phone rather than pretending those specialist tools never matter. Read our honest no-signal guide before remote trips.
Understand the technology, then choose the right tool
The tracker answers what is live. These supporting guides answer how it works, who can use it and where it fits in a real communications plan.
What is satellite-to-cell?
A plain-English explanation of the moving mast, the carrier gate and the practical limits.
O2 phones and apps
A dated UK checklist for compatible devices, approved apps, plans, setup and emergency-call limits.
Direct-to-cell vs satellite phone
Compare phones, satphones, messengers, beacons and radios by the consequence if the link fails.
Satellite push-to-talk
Why brief live voice fits constrained data—and the approval and field tests still required.
Questions people ask
What is satellite-to-cell or direct-to-cell?
It lets a compatible ordinary phone connect through satellites using a mobile carrier's licensed spectrum when the terrestrial network is unavailable. It is still a carrier service, not free global internet: the phone, plan, app, place and sky view all matter.
Which UK network has satellite-to-cell service?
O2 Satellite is live for eligible customers and supported apps. VodafoneThree has announced customer trials. Use the linked carrier sources in the table for current eligibility rather than relying on an undated summary.
Does CRAGGEN work over O2 Satellite today?
Not yet. O2 carries selected apps and CRAGGEN is not currently listed. We are technically prepared, but carrier approval and a real-world test are still required.
Will CRAGGEN need a special satellite version?
No separate version is planned. The same app is designed to adapt to constrained networks, but carrier and handset behaviour may still require tuning after field tests.
Does direct-to-cell replace a radio or emergency beacon?
No. Use each tool for what it is good at: radios for local no-network voice, a satellite messenger or beacon for remote safety, and CRAGGEN for simple group voice wherever a supported data path exists.
More: How direct-to-cell works · O2 compatibility · The honest no-signal guide · How PoC networks work